Europa Galante - 6abc Loves the Arts

January 11th, 2015 (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society is kicking off the New Year with a very old Italian sound.

Europa Galante is known across the world for their Baroque music, but PCMS Artistic Director Miles Cohen says this is the ensemble's first time ever playing in Philadelphia, "The Chamber Music Society is quite honored and thrilled to be presenting this world-renowned period instrument ensemble."

The group was founded 26 years ago by lead violinist and conductor, Fabio Biondi.

"He said I want to create my own ensemble, and I want it to focus specifically on Italian baroque classical repertoire," says Cohen, who adds that their upcoming performance will reflect their iconic sound with an intimate story told throughout the show, "The program is entitled Chiara's Diary-A Life at the Ospedale della Piet in Venice."

The piece was inspired by Italian composers of the 1700s, including Antonio Vivaldi who led a female orchestra at the orphanage.

"So this program will have a duality to it. It will have what life was like for Chiara as an orphan," Cohen explains, "and then it will show you how she was inspired by these incredible musicians and composers."

And for audiences accustomed to more modern music, Cohen says the sound will be quite different, "They have gut strings and the instruments themselves, whether it's the actual instrument or the bow that they use, is directly from those early 1700s or late 1600s during the Baroque era."

The concert will be in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater.

"It's only 600 seats," says Cohen, "you're going to feel like you're really close to the musicians, which is a great thing for getting to know the music better."

Europa Galante will perform one night only, Friday, January 22nd at 8pm. You can buy tickets at www.TheArtsinPhilly.org or enter for a chance to win at (insert contest link)