About

Ensemble Ornatus is a young Early Music ensemble, specializing in the repertory of the late Medieval era and the Renaissance. As all the ensemble members have pursued extensive studies of more than one instrument at prestigious music universities all around Europe (Vienna, Paris, London, Leipzig, Prague), the instrumental composition of the programmes is very rich and varied. Depending on the performed pieces, it includes one or two recorders, a medieval fiddle or a viol, a clavicymbalum, harpsichord, or organ, and the human voice. Due to the capability of some ensemble members to play their instruments and sing simultaneously, the number of voices can span to five independent lines, allowing the ensemble to perform a wide range of repertory with a multitude of sound colours.

The ensemble’s name is tracing back to an enchanting quotation of Marsilio Ficino, who in 1485 stated that „music is nothing more than a decoration of silence“. From the word of decoration (lat.: ōrnātus = a.o. 1. adornment, jewellery, 2. adorned, decorated) we evolve our self-conception as an ensemble, decorating the air with the sounds of our instruments and voices, yet at the same time bringing back to life the aesthetics of an era many centuries past.

Since the establishment of the ensemble in early 2019, the ensemble has experienced a rapidly growing recognition. Having performed only a few concerts in the past, the ensemble already received concert invitations from Early Music series and concert organisations in Austria, Italy and Germany.

Ruth Bruckner has been studying historical keyboard instruments, viol, and recorder in Vienna, Paris, London and Leipzig and also graduated from studying philosophy in Vienna and London.

She was awarded many prizes at International Competitions such as the 1st Prize for Early Music Instrumentalists, the Journalist Prize and the Hyogo-Governor-Award at the 10th International Music Competition in Osaka/Japan in 2009. With the Ensemble Les Nations Réunies she won the 1st Prize at the International Early Music competition in Middelburg/The Netherlands in 2011. When graduating from her recorder studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna she was awarded the University’s honorary prize for artistic excellence. In the last years she was also awarded scholarships by institutions such as the Austrian Federal Ministry of Culture and Education, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research, the International Tokyo Foundation and the Swiss Thyll-Dürr Foundation.

Ruth Bruckner is performing in Europe and Japan as a soloist and member in chamber music ensembles. Among the venues she has already performed in are Wiener Konzerthaus (Schubert-Saal), Wiener Musikverein (Großer Saal and Steinerner Saal), MuTh - Konzertsaal der Wiener Sängerknaben, Hyogo Performing Arts Center Recital Hall in Nishinomiya/Japan, Oak Theatre (Create Center Hall) in Osaka/Japan, Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris/France, Zeeuwse Concertzaal in Middelburg/Netherlands und Basilica Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona/Spain.

She is currently teaching Historical Performance Practice at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

Claudia Molon graduated with distinction from studying recorder (performance studies) and guitar (pedagogical studies) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Her teachers were Hans Maria Kneihs and Carsten Eckert for recorder, and Melitta Heinzmann and Adriano Del Sal for guitar.

Claudia Molon has received numerous awards and prizes at various competitions. As a young musician she received awards at the Austrian Youth Music „Prima la Musica“. In 2014 she was awarded the 3rd prize at the Recorder Festival Nordhorn/Germany. In 2015 she was awarded the Romanus Weichlein Prize for the promotion of Austrian Baroque Music at the International H.I.F Biber Competition/Austria. Claudia Molon is a fellowship holder of the Swiss foundation Dr. Robert und Lina Thyll-Dürr.

Besides performing regularly as a soloist and as a member of various chamber music groups, she is teaching Recorder at the municipial music school of the Austrian town of Innsbruck.

 

Kristyna Kosikova graduated as pianist at the Pardubice Conservatorium. Her teachers were Zdenka Kolarova and Inna Tolmacova. In 2017 she also graduated at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts in the harpsichord masterclass led by professor Giedre Luksaite Mrazkova. Currently, she is studying to obtain a PhD at the same school. The topic of her dissertation is the History and Evolution of Intavolatures for Keyboard Instruments – the Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Under the terms of The Erasmus International Programme, Kristyna Kosikova spent a year studying at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague with Fabio Bonnizoni (harpsichord), Patrick Ayrton (basso continuo), Jacques Ogg (clavichord) and Marcel Zijlstra (gregorian chant). She attended harpsichord masterclasses (Ton Koopmann, Vaclav Luks, Bernhard Klapprott), modal singing masterclasses (Rebecca Stewart, Martin Erhardt) and clavicymbalum masterclasses (David Catalunya).

Kristyna Kosikova is the leader of Duae Tastae Cantantes ensemble that specializes in interpretation of the music of the Middle Ages and Rennaissance either by singing and playing keyboard instruments. She regularly plays music of Baroque, Renaissance and Middle Ages with many Czech ensembles and orchestras. She also leads the Collaudemus choir at the Trutnov Evangelic Church.