Welcome to Tenet!

We offer a huge range of concerts in New York City throughout the year. Visit our concerts page to learn more and buy a ticket!

written by James Reese, tenor

"Early music" usually refers to music written before the year 1800. Most "classical" music that is widely known and popular comes from the 19th century, during the Romantic period. In some instances, the music that Tenet performs is nearly 500 years older than that!

Tenet's artists are all specialists in historical performance practice — a field of research that attempts to understand and recreate how music might have actually sounded when it was first written and performed. By using historical documents, treatises, images, and other texts, we can deduce lots of information about how musicians played music, and illuminate history through sound.

written by Jolle Greenleaf, artistic director

Our ensemble was formed in 2003 as The Tiffany Consort, named for the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, where we offered our first performances. I was a founding member of this ensemble, which underwent a big change in structure and leadership during the summer of 2009.

When I was named artistic director, I launched a new series of project-based concerts focused primarily on early music. This allowed for a wide range of programs focused on repertoire for voices and instruments. During this transition, the name Tenet came to be, with the words Vocal Artists being added later. I love the circular, fluid nature of palindromes and the word Tenet means a belief. It also comes from Tenere, which means "to hold". In essence, I was holding on to something I believe in.

written by Jacob Perry, tenor

No! In order to stay together, we watch each other breathe.

We are chamber musicians that practice a unique kind of 'group think'. Just as you might follow the arc of a ball in the sky, calculating the exact point at which it will land in your palm, Tenet's musicians closely observe the length and speed of each other's breaths in order to calculate the 'pulse' of the music. It's similar to following a conductor, but more collaborative and with more shared responsibility.

Andrew Padgett, bass-baritone

Churches are often an ideal performance space for early music because the acoustic is "wet" — meaning sound reverberates and rings through the space for a long time. That makes it easier for us to hear each other and coordinate, and our sounds blend together in a beautiful way. They're also usually the right size for an ensemble of 5 to 12 singers and instrumentalists, giving audiences a greater sense of intimacy.

Elisa Sutherland, mezzo-soprano

I have shown up to early music concerts in all kinds of attire, from a favorite jumpsuit to cozy leggings and a hoodie. We want you to come as you are! The musicians performing on stage probably won't notice what you're wearing (unless you're sporting a truly fabulous hat), but they will definitely notice your engaged expression and exuberant applause.

Jolle Greenleaf, soprano

English, Italian, French, German, and Latin are the primary languages for the music Tenet regularly performs. We always provide English translations so that audiences can understand the text we are singing - after all, connecting with the text is one of the most important parts of early music!