House of Time, known for their "fluency and command" (San Francisco Classical Voice) and "fine playing, cohesiveness and creativity" (Early Music America) is dedicated to both well-known and underperformed repertoire of the 17th through the 21st century played on period instruments. Members and guests include faculty and alumni of The Juilliard School, as well as prize-winners of major international competitions. Using the instruments and techniques of the past to express the vivid passions in the music, House of Time has moved audiences and keeps them coming back for more. Critics have declared oboist, Gonzalo X. Ruiz, "one of only a handful of truly superb baroque oboists in the world" (Alte Musik Aktuell); Tatiana Daubek, is known for her "sleekly elegant playing" (Gazettes Long Beach) and soloistic precision (Early Music America); Avi Stein, one of NYC's finest, is described by the New York Times as "a brilliant organ soloist".
By performing quality concerts showcasing world-class musicians on period instruments, House of Time presents our classical music heritage in a way that not only entertains but also allows greater understanding of its cultural context. By replacing the traditional pre-concert lecture with personable and accessible remarks from the stage, the ensemble breaks down the barrier between performer and audience, and gives casual listeners as well as experts the opportunity to understand the intersection between musicology and performance. By committing to performing its series in the Washington Heights as well as Lincoln Center neighborhoods, and making tickets available and affordable through a variety of outlets, House of Time seeks to bring the musical jewels of the past and the thrill of live performance available to all New Yorkers.
Currently in their 7th season, House of Time is ensemble in residence at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City. They have been presented by the Berkeley Early Music Festival, Czech Center New York, Early Music Festival: NYC, Music Before 1800, Michigan State University, San Diego and San Francisco Early Music Societies, The University Club in NYC, and the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments. Future appearances include concerts presented by Early Music Now in Milwaukee, WI and St. John's College in Santa Fe, NM. House of Time is a continuous recipient of the New York State Council on the Arts grant. As a group and individuals, they continue to give free outreach concerts at Mount Sinai Concerts for Patients in New York City and may be seen giving impromptu pop up concerts in casual venues such as local cafes. House of Time is also on the roster of GEMS Live! Artists.
You may wonder about where we got the name, House of Time. A few years ago, before House of Time was formed, a few of us were brain-storming names. We liked the words, Chronos and Cronologie, both incorporating the meaning of Time. We then came up with Cronologgia, a sort of play on the two words, and we figured out that although it was a ficticious word, it was really a combination of two words: Cronos and Loggia. Loggia, in Italian, is an open sided extention to a house, or lets just say House. Put the two words together and you have Cronologgia, or House of Time. Cronologgia stuck for the very first concert we played in a beautiful 18th century barn in Westchester. Soon after we had so many people asking what the word meant, we decided to use its English translation, House of Time. From then on, we became known as House of Time.