Duration: 15 minutes

Maddalena Laura Sirmen (née Lombardini) was born in Venice to noble, but impoverished, parents. She showed great musical talent from a young age, beginning her studies at age 7 and eventually learning from the prolific violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini. She composed and published many of her own works, including six Violin Concertos between 1772 and 1773, one of which we hear today performed by our own inimitable Concertmaster, Renaud Lapierre.

Program note by the late Dr. C.W. Helleiner