Millennia Too! is the small ensemble of Millennia Consort, one of the country's premiere organ plus ensembles. This intimate recital duo performs repertoire from Renaissance to Modern, including several premieres by contemporary American composers. Their performances explore the varied timbres of oboe, oboe d'amore and English horn in concert with the broad range of pipe organ colors. Susan and Alison have a musical rapport born of over a decade of close collaboration, creating spontaneous and highly nuanced musical performances.
Susan Barrett, oboe and English horn, is a native of Hartford. She has performed extensively as a solo and chamber musician in the United States and Europe. She has recorded solo and chamber music for Radio France, Kol Israel Radio, and Yugoslavian Radio. She is principal oboe of the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of San Dieguito, and the San Diego Baroque Ensemble and is a member of the Eolus Wind Quintet. She also plays with the San Diego Symphony and Opera Orchestra. She has toured the U.S. with guitarist Randy Pile, which has two compact discs Songs of Forbidden Love and Forgotten Dances and Duo Cantilena.
Alison J. Luedecke, organ and harpsichord, is a native of Galveston. She is active across the US as a solo concert organist and has played in Canada and Germany. As an ensemble musician Dr. Luedecke has performed with the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, and with other chamber ensembles. She received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance at the Eastman School of Music as a student of David Craighead. As a recording artist she is featured on numerous CDs and has been heard on the nationally syndicated radio show Pipedreams. Her most recent CDs on the Raven label feature four of the earliest organs in the US and Canada built by Rudolph von Beckerath.
What people are saying about performances by Millennia Too!:
"Simply the best!" Stephen Sturk, Executive Director PACEM, St. Paul's Cathedral, San Diego, CA
"A concert by Alison Luedecke and Susan Barrett is a totally joyous experience. Their repertoire ranges from the pre-baroque to the contemporary and is performed with impeccable style and musicianship. Their verbal comments communicate their enthusiasm, drawing the listener, even the uninitiated, into the music in a fresh and compelling way. Not to be missed!" Robert Plimpton, Civic Organist Emeritus, Spreckels Organ Society, San Diego, CA
"On October 18, 2002, Alison Luedecke, organ, and Susan Barrett, oboe, presented their third program in four years for the concert series at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Mesa. It was an outstanding program--outstanding, not only in the quality of performance, but also in their choice of program. There is an elegance to their playing that is a wonderful contrast to the simple, unaffected manner of their presentation. Susan's beautiful tone was perfectly matched by Alison's choice of accompanying stops from the organ, a true duet by equal partners. Alison's solo pieces were performed in a crisp, clean, and extremely musical manner. We look forward to many return visits from this outstanding duo!" Conrad Bruderer, Chair, Concert Series, First Church of Christ Scientist, La Mesa, CA
About Millennia Consorts performance at the regional convention of the American Guild of Organists in San Diego, June 2001: "an outstanding Organ Plus concert. . . presented a particularly beautiful collection of pieces. . . really exciting. . . 100% good players. . ." Mary Lee Mistretta in LA Pipeline, July 2001, the official newsletter of the Los Angeles chapter, American Guild of Organists
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