“A DAY IN SIX STRINGS” features the driving force and rhythm behind the ensemble - the basso continuo section Esteban Mazer and Lixsania Fernández. Here they have teamed up to create a program highlighting the beautiful colours and expression that only the harpsichord and gamba can give.

From music of the Spanish Renaissance to Cuban music of the 20th century, the program is divided into six parts (the number of strings on the viola da gamba). Each part represents a part of the day.
Beginning with dawn, music continues through the day all the way to sunrise of the next morning, with time for virtuous work, a relaxing break, a hot afternoon, and even soothing sounds of the night. Each of the six parts use music chosen for its power to evoke that part of the day, gracefully bringing music of a surprising amount of styles and places together in an imaginatively beautiful way.

Esteban Mazer's bio

Born in Argentina, where he obtained his degree in contemporary music at the Center for Contemporary Music Studies in Buenos Aires. He studied piano in Bs. As. with Susana Agrest and Susana Kasakoff.

It is in Israel where he began his key studies with the harpsichordist David Shemer in the framework of the "Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music". He continues his studies at the "Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel" where he obtains the titles "Tweede Canidatur" and Master under the tutelage of the harpsichordist and organist Herman Stinders.

Receives numerous classes of harpsichords such as: John Toll, Laurent Stewart, Beatrice Martin or Mitzi Meyerson.

Esteban resides in Barcelona for more than a decade, where he participates in the creation of the Barcelona Concertante Baroque Orchestra and participates in various chamber groups such as the Harmonious Ensemble Ensemble or the Meridien Ensemble.

He is a finalist for the International Young of Artists presentation on historical instruments in Antwerp (Belgium) with the ensemble Pallisandre (Belgium). Together with the oboist Katy Elkin, he creates the Le Tendre Amour Ensemble with which he performs an intense musical activity.

Lixsania Fernández's bio

Born in Cuba. She studied the Viola da Gamba in the “Superior Conservatory of Music Manuel Castillo” in Seville (Ventura Rico), and in the “Conservatory of music Juan Crisostomo Arriaga” of Bilbao (Itziar Atutxa). She received the title of Viola from the “National Art Schools of Havana” with the highest qualifications.

She has also received several classes offered by Savall, Kuijken, Ghielmi, Muller and Colonna. Since 2006, she receives a scholarship from the “University of Salamanca.”

Founder of the Ensemble “Recondita Armonia”, also participates in numerous concerts offered at festivals in countries all around the world, led by such prestigious names as Shalev Ad-El, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Rio Terakado, Paul Dyer, Walter Reiter, Claudio Abbado. She collaborates with ensembles like La Chimera (Eduardo Egüez), L'Arpeggiata (Christina Pluhar), Le Concert des Nations (Jordi Savall), Capella Mediterranea (Leonardo Garcia Alarcón), Ars Longa (Teresa Paz), Orpheon Consort (José Vázquez), Il Galdellino, Ensemble Elyma (Gabriel Garrido), or Le Tendre Amour.

She was invited to play as soloist with orchestras like “Orquesta Nacional de España”, “Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao”, “Orquesta Sinfónica de Valencia”, “Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla”, “Orquesta barroca Catalana” or “Australian Brandenburg Orchestra”.

She has recorded two cd's for the prestigious Dutch label Brilliant Classics, his first solo CD, with Recondita Armonia ensemble, dedicated to the virtuous and composer Johannes Schenck (viola da gamba), and other one with the music of the G. F. Handel, which have received wonderful reviews of the most prestigious journals.

She makes numerous recordins for different radios and televisions around the world, and the recording labels Erato, Alia Vox, Naive, Brillant Classics, NB, CDM, La Mà de Guido, Verso, K617… She teaches Viola da gamba in the “Conservatorio Profesional de Torrent” and CEM of Terrassa. She taught in the “Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche”, “Curso de Viola da Gamba Ciutat de Manises” and the “Escuela de Música Sebastián Albero de Pamplona”.