Lutesongs: Longing – Renaissance Songs of Separation and Loss

Vanessa Guinadi is a soprano studying at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. She graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music and also studied at School of the Arts Singapore. She sings with the Singaporean early music ensemble Cappella Martialis, performing at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and Christ Church, Malacca. Vanessa has also sung in lute song recitals with lutenist Sara Salloum at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Whitworth Art Gallery and Buxton International Festival. 

Michelle Chan first picked up the double bass with her high school symphonic band and has been playing with various community orchestras since. She discovered the rabbit hole of early music with Cappella Martialis in 2017, beginning with voice and later expanding into playing the double bass and viola da gamba with them on occasion. Michelle is constantly looking to polish her skills as a vocal soloist and some of her recent credits include Esplanade's Tapestry of Sacred Music 2023 and Voices – A Festival of Song 2021. 

Edward C. Yong acquired a renaissance lute in 1994 and has been trying to tune it ever since. His chequered lute-playing career includes a few lessons with Scott Pauley, Jacob Heringman, Jan Čižmař, Juan Carlos de Mulder, and Pascale Boquet. He also functioned as an emergency lute-for-hire during his university days in London, which also saw him being drafted into several last- minute gigs (including a few at Shakespeare’s Globe). In concert, he has played mostly accompaniment and basso continuo for various combinations of singers and voices.