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Artists: Maria Gajraj, organetto; Len Torrie, voice, Isabelle Douailly-Backman, medieval fiddle. (Mentored by Benjamin Bagby)
This is a free event in collaboration with the Vancouver Public Library – event registration is required.
As part of the 2026 Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival, the Vancouver Public Library is presenting a very special concert of medieval music performed by visiting ensemble COMTESSA.
COMTESSA is a Montreal-based ensemble that brings the music of the 11th to 15th centuries to life through dynamic performances and meticulous research. Using medieval period instruments, the ensemble offers audiences an immersive journey into the soundscapes of medieval music. Featuring women and nonbinary performers, COMTESSA showcases a fresh perspective on this timeless repertoire.
Maria Gajraj, Organetto
Organist Maria Gajraj recently received her Doctorate from McGill University in Montreal. Her research focused on 20th-century Caribbean organ repertoire. A recipient of the Godfrey Hewitt Scholarship (2022) and other awards, and first prize winner in the 2025 RCCO National Organ Competition, her doctoral research was funded by the FRQ (Fonds de Recherche du Quebec). She is the executive director of COMTESSA, co-founder of Sapphonix Collective, which promotes women, queer, and racialized classical musicians, and has been featured on CBC Radio.
Maria has performed internationally, at venues like Salle Bourgie, Maison Symphonique, and the Orgelpark (Amsterdam) and in series such as Cal Performances (USA) and Bergen Orgelsommer (Norway). She has recently accepted the position of Music Director at St. Philip’s Anglican Church here in Vancouver, and will start there this fall
Len Torrie, voice
Isabelle Douailly-Backman, Medieval Fiddle
Isabelle Douailly-Backman (she/her/they/them) is a Montreal-based historical string player. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Montreal to pursue a degree in modern viola at McGill University. There she discovered a love for early music and has since completed a B.Mus in Baroque Viola and a M.Mus in Baroque Violin from McGill University under the tutelage of Hélène Plouffe and Olivier Brault.
Benjamin Bagby, Ensemble Mentor
Vocalist, harper and medievalist Benjamin Bagby has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for over 40 years. Since 1977, when he and the late Barbara Thornton co-founded Sequentia, his time has been almost entirely devoted to the research, performance and recording work of the ensemble.
Apart from this, Mr. Bagby is deeply involved with the solo performance of Anglo-Saxon and Germanic oral poetry: his acclaimed performance of Beowulf has been heard worldwide and was released as a DVD in 2007. In 2017, he was awarded the Artist of the Year Award by REMA, the European Early Music Network. In addition to researching and creating over 75 programs for Sequentia, Mr. Bagby has published widely, writing about medieval performance practice; as a guest lecturer and professor, he has taught courses and workshops all over Europe and North America. Between 2005 and 2018 he taught medieval music performance practice at the Sorbonne – University of Paris. He currently teaches medieval music performance at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany.
Organist Tina Christiansen brings her extensive international experience to Vancouver for a concert that highlights her deep engagement with organ repertoire across centuries and cultures. A graduate of The Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and a soloist since 2013, she has built a performance career spanning more than 90 concerts throughout Europe and Russia, including appearances at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London.
Tina frequently appears as a recitalist and chamber musician, and she has contributed to the organ’s repertoire through world premieres by contemporary composers. Her recordings and performances with ensembles like the Doppler Duo have drawn attention for their clarity, precision, and detail, illustrating the organ’s expressive possibilities in both historic and modern contexts.
Presented in one of Vancouver’s resonant venues, this concert offers listeners a chance to hear an artist whose career reflects both tradition and thoughtful exploration. Tina’s musicianship is informed by years of international touring, deep familiarity with historical instruments, and a commitment to making organ music enjoyable to audiences.
Join us for a fun-filled evening of spooky and scary music! Come in costume!
Treats for kids (and the young at heart) after the concert.
More info to come this fall.
In collaboration with the St. James Music Series.
More info to come in the spring of 2027
More details to come later in 2026 and in early 2027.
Will include concerts by renowned performers, workshops, masterclasses, and the RCCO National Organ Competition.