Cappella Sonora is an ensemble of musicians based in Tempe, Arizona, focusing primarily on Medieval and Renaissance music. The group performs regularly in and around the Tempe/Phoenix area, as well as in Tucson and other Arizona locales.

While the primary focus of Cappella Sonora is small-ensemble vocal music, many of their performances are enhanced by the use of authentic "period" instruments whenever possible. In fact, five of the group's nine members are proficient on at least one melodic or chordal instrument, and everyone has been known to beat on a tabor (drum) or tambourine at one time or another.

The result is that, although much of the music Cappella Sonora performs might be considered "choral," their concerts offer something very different from most choir concerts. Cappella Sonora strives to produce engaging, unique, historically-informed programs which strike a delicate balance between academic "stuffiness" and enjoyable entertainment.

A little more, for the "historically inclined":

Cappella Sonora was founded in 1997 in Tempe, Arizona by director Jim De Fazio to combine up-to-date vocal practices, scholarship, and accessibility in a unique Early Music experience. The group got off the ground as a handful of musicians who wanted to specialize in pre-18th century music did some "guest appearances" at local churches, occasionally sitting in while a church's regular choir took a week of R&R.

In the fall of that year, Cappella Sonora was invited to help out with the early Christmas Eve service at Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church in Cave Creek, Arizona. By this point, the group had met the newly-arrived Musica Ficta, an early music group from New Jersey, specializing mostly in secular music of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, with both instruments and voices (sort of an early music "country" band). Having recognized each other as kindred spirits, the members of Musica Ficta joined Cappella Sonora that Christmas Eve at Good Shepherd, and a great collaboration, as well as a new era in Phoenix early music, was born.

Since then, the relationship between the two groups has continued to evolve, as several of the members of Musica Ficta (which changed its name to Bartholomew Faire in 1999) now also perform in Cappella Sonora, and vice-versa. At the same time, while there is some overlap, the two groups maintain distinct identities. Bartholomew Faire still specializes mostly on the more "rustic," secular early music combining voices and instruments, while Cappella Sonora leans more toward sacred "art" music of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. (For more History, go to our Programs page.)

For further information or to join our mailing list, email csinfo@cappellasonora.com or call 602-909-8326.

The musicians (L to R): Stefan Dollak: baritone voice, lute, hurdy-gurdy, recorders and all manner of other early "sticks that one blows into" Jim De Fazio: (director) baritone voice, four-course Renaissance guitar, lute Anna George: soprano voice Rob Edsall: tenor voice Renee Hope Guillory: contralto voice Robin Rio: mezzo-soprano voice, recorders Valarie Vousden: mezzo-soprano voice Danielle Franklin: mezzo-soprano voice, harp, recorders Jill Knapp: (not pictured) contralto voice, recorders