Baroque Coffee Break

About

Exploring Europe’s 18th-century coffee craze through music, including witty and whimsical works by Bach and Nicolas Bernier, alongside a rarely heard flute sonata by Jean Daniel Braun. Discover a time when coffeehouses were flourishing across Europe and composers found inspiration in the fashionable new beverage, celebrating its pleasures with humour, elegance, and theatrical flair. From playful cantatas to exquisite instrumental music, this charming program offers a lively glimpse into the tastes, traditions, and musical delights of the Baroque era.

About the Artists

Melissa Renshaw – soprano

Originally from Truro, Nova Scotia, Melissa Renshaw is a classically trained soprano whose work includes classical performance, choral music, and musical theatre. After 18 years performing and working in Toronto, she returned home last year with her young family and is delighted to rejoin Nova Scotia’s vibrant musical community. During her time in Toronto, Melissa sang 12 seasons with the professional choral ensemble, That Choir. She also appeared in a variety of theatre and musical theatre productions, including performances with The Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience under composer Ramin Djawadi and Hans Zimmer’s Live Tour during its Toronto engagement. Her solo and ensemble work has included national and international performances, broadcasts and collaborations with Canadian composers and arts organizations. Now based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Melissa is a teacher with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education and she continues to pursue a performance life grounded in strong musicianship and community‑focused artistic work.

Henri Gauci – baroque flute

With a passionate interest in period instrument and baroque performance practices, Henri Gauci has studied transverse flute (or baroque flute) with internationally renowned performers including Courtney Westcott, Wilbert Hazelzet and Rachel Brown. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in musicology from Queen’s University and spent 39 years as a flute player with the Canadian Armed Forces where he had the opportunity to travel and perform extensively across Canada and internationally. Henri is also actively involved in audio recording, music production and instrument making. He has built several harpsichords including the instrument used in today’s performances.

Peter-Anthony Togni – harpsichord

Canadian Peter-Anthony Togni (b. 1959) is an award-winning composer, pianist, organist, conductor and former CBC broadcaster. His music is spiritually rooted and contemplative, ranging from the ethereally quiet to the explosive outer limits of contemplation. He tours internationally, and his music is regularly performed and broadcast worldwide. Notable recordings include releases on Warner Classics UK, ATMA Classique and ECM Records (Lamentations of Jeremiah). His JUNO-nominated work Response won the 2014 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award and in 2021, Sea Dreams won an ECMA for Classical Composition of the Year. Peter-Anthony performs with his longtime collaborator Jeff Reilly in the duo Blackwood, who recently released their newest album Passages, and tours his own music for solo piano. He teaches composition at the Acadia School of Music and is the Director of Music Ministries at St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Halifax. Originally from Pembroke Ontario, he composes from his home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.