The STADT-HAUTBOISTEN RIGA historical woodwind ensemble was founded in 2013, giving its first concert at the Riga Historical Music and Dance Festival. It aims to explore the local heritage of historical woodwind music as well as present the best compositions for woodwinds written elsewhere in Europe. To date, the ensemble has performed work by Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer, Jean-Louis Lully, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Jean-Daniel Braun, Henry Purcell, George Frederick Handel, Jean-Marie Leclair, François Couperin and other composers.

In the Baroque era, woodwind ensembles were associated mainly with military parades and entertainment music, unlike brass ensembles, which predominantly performed church tower music. Nowadays, however, historical woodwind ensembles are quite a rarity, and the Stadt-Hautboisten Riga is the only such ensemble in the Baltic States.

Members of the ensemble

KRISTĪNE KUPČA
baroque oboe, traverso flute, artistic director
DMITRIJS MAKSIMOVS
baroque oboe, taille
IEVA NĪMANE
baroque oboe, oboe d’amore, oboe da caccia, recorder
ELĪNA VIDRIĶE
baroque bassoon
ANDRIS ARNICĀNS
baroque bassoon
MĀRIS KUPČS
harpsichord