Ensemble Sequentia to perform medieval music in Ukraine during war

The international ensemble Sequentia will perform an early medieval music program at the Kyiv Baroque Fest in 2026. This performance places Ukraine at the center of a contemporary conversation regarding the musical heritage of Europe.

The ensemble, which Benjamin Bagby and the late Barbara Thornton founded in 1977, has spent nearly five decades reconstructing music from the Middle Ages.

The group has produced more than 30 recordings and over 80 concert programs that focus on music preserved only in fragments, manuscripts, or oral traditions. Their work includes the complete works of Hildegard of Bingen and reconstructions of music linked to the epic Beowulf. Benjamin Bagby and Norbert Rodenkirchen explained that reconstructing music from before the invention of sound recording requires a blend of scholarship and imagination.

They use historical knowledge of vocal techniques, language pronunciation, and instrumental construction to stay close to original sources. They believe that ancient stories and songs provide a sense of identity and purpose by reminding listeners of their shared bonds. The musicians noted that medieval music serves as the foundation of Western music history. They aim to show that these ancient sounds remain deeply meaningful today. Rodenkirchen stated that sharing a moment of deep listening creates an experience of peace.

Bagby added that while a single voice can represent the suffering of a people during conflict, it can also represent a hero bringing the possibility of peace.