The English cornett player and conductor, Roland Wilson, originally studied trumpet at the Royal College of Music in London, then specialising in the Baroque cornett.
After moving to Germany, Roland Wilson worked as a soloist for other ensembles, for example alongside fellow cornettist Bruce Dickey, in the March 1985 recording of the Heinrich Schütz’ Opus Ultimum with the Hilliard Ensemble and Knabenchor Hannover for EMI. In 1976 he founded Musica Fiata, an ensemble specialising in Baroque wind music. Musica Fiata's first major recordings were supporting Kammerchor Stuttgart conducted by Frieder Bernius in H. Schütz’ Symphoniae Sacrae III, Christmas and Resurrection oratorios and Psalms of David, and Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine from 1989-1991. Then Wilson expanded Musica Fiata to include La Capella Ducale, a choir. Musica Fiata has recorded for Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Sony Vivarte, Glissando and CPO.
Roland Wilson is not the only cornettist to have founded his own ensemble; he also plays under Jean Tubéry directs La Fenice, Arno Paduch directs the Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble, Bruce Dickey and trombonist Charles Toet direct Concerto Palatino.
Roland Wilson regularly speaks at symposia and writes on early wind instrument construction, performance practice, and historical pitch. |