Joan Parsley, artistic director of Milwaukee’s Ensemble Musical Offering, brims with a missionary zeal for early music. The depth of her scholarship and enthusiasm reveal how committed she is to the presentation of all things Baroque. With a sparkle in her eyes, she is devoted to producing beautiful, intimate concerts featuring the best of our Western musical heritage, and endeavors to make them relevant to everyone who cares to listen. Clearly the academic study of music, art and philosophy gets her tremendously excited; in fact, she says, “Bringing it all into context is why I exist.”
Because of her dedication to authenticity and scholarship, Parsley draws highly regarded Baroque performers from far and wide to play in her series. “Music from the French Court—Paris ca. 1740 ,
