The Baroque orchestra of the Trossingen University of Music performs Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto for Violoncello, Strings, and basso continuo in D minor, RV 407
Soloist: Gian-Andri Cuonz, Baroque cello | Artistic Direction: Prof. Anton Steck (recorded on April 8th, 2021) 

The ensemble could also be heard at the gala concert as part of the Early Music Platform and at the
20th anniversary of the Baden-Württemberg Foundation in Stuttgart.

Baroque orchestra has a central function in Early Music education: Following the pedagogical guiding principle of optimally preparing students for future work, the focus is not only on solo and chamber music skills, but also on orchestral literature. Professional competence in historical performance practice in orchestra is continously developed. For this purpose, as many genres as possible are worked on in alternation. Mastery of technique and expertise in historically informed performance practice stand equally in the foreground. The realization of the ideal of an overall sound means a group effort, which sometimes demands restraint, a high degree of flexibility and at the same time dedication from the individual. The blending ability of one's own sound with other instruments and colors, quick reactions to changing acoustics or breathing along within a phrase when working with soloists are taught and trained in the intensive work phases. This working process enables the students to later lead ensembles independently and distinguishes the Trossingen Baroque Orchestra.

The 17th Century Ensemble represents the forum for larger ensemble works with singers and scene from the period of around 1580 to around 1700. Here, madrigals, canzonas, masses, masqus, motets, consorts, lied, musical comedy, oratorios, and operas are worked on in theory and practice. The  basis of the Ensemble is formed by the weekly courses Consort, Selected Chapters of 17th Century Music, Diminution, Early Music Vocal Ensemble, Basso Continuo, and Improvisation based on Historical Models. The skills acquired there focus on one to two large concert programs per semester with multiple concertos.  Free stage forms of the 17th century, such as masque, improvisation, intermedio, and commedia offer numerous points of contact to develop new concert forms or to integrate other art movements. Various crossover projects take place, such as the project "Silk.Road.Music - Kinship of the Soul."

The Institute for Performance Practice has an excellent instrument inventory. Among them, you can find highlights such as an Antegnati Organ (16th century) and the Johann Andreas Silbermann replica organ from 1752 in the Benedictiner Church in nearby Villingen. Many harpischords based on French, Flemish, German and Italian models, fortepianos, clavichords, and other valuable historical instruments, such as lutes, violins, violas da gamba, tranverse flutes, oboes, clarinets, horns, trumpets, cornets, dulcians, trombones, and special instruments from the Middle Ages are available in the Institute.  In addition, the university library has valuable holdings on Early Music. Relevant musicological literature, writings on theory and performance practice can be found along with sheet music and the facsimile editions essential for studying the sources. A microfilm archive contains primarily older music theory writings and a pool of numerous, very rare instrumental textbooks.