Wilson, Roland
Wilson, Roland
Wilson, Roland, distinguished English cornetto player, conductor, and music scholar; b. Leeds, June 26, 1951. He took up the trumpet at the age of 8, and later studied at the Royal Coll. of Music in London (1968-72) and pursued training in cornetto playing with Don Smithers at the Royal Cons, of Music at The Hague (1977-78). In 1976 he founded and became director of Musica Fiata, an ensemble devoted to the performance of music of the 16th and 17th centuries on period instruments. He conducted it at many of the major European music festivals. In 1992 he also founded and became music director of the early music vocal ensemble La Capella Ducale. As a guest conductor, he has appeared with most of the principal early music groups in Europe. He has pursued research in early performance practice and has ed. music from original sources. Wilson has won critical approbation for his historically informed, discerning, and vibrant performances and recordings of such masters as Gabrieli, Praetorius, Monteverdi, Schütz, Frescobaldi, and Schein.
—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire