About Us
You and I and AMYAS
AMYAS and you and I
To the green-wood must we go...
Amyas are a period instrument group specialising in exuberant performances of historical repertoire. All of the group members are specialists in the historically informed performance, with many leading the way in cutting-edge research into earlier practices. The group are committed to an understanding of history but also to embracing the 21st century and new possibilities for performance spaces and techniques. Similarly, they are passionate both about discovering unknown early sources and also improvisation and composition. Their performances range from the well-loved classics of the eighteenth century (imbued with their typical flair of course!) to electronic manipulation of medieval songs and dances - and everything in between.
Emily Baines
Dr. Emily Baines is a professional recorder player, lecturer and musical director working throughout Europe also specialising in a wide variety of historical woodwinds. She trained at; the University of Hull, the Koninklijk Conservatorium (The Hague) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she wrote her doctoral thesis on the role of mechanical musical instruments as sources for eighteenth-century performance practice.
Emily performs regularly for many period instrument ensembles, contemporary groups, music festivals and theatres across Europe. She is a member and co-founder of Blondel (medieval and renaissance wind band), selected in 2016 as one of BBC Radio 3’s ‘Introducing’ acts and who have recently released their acclaimed third album ‘Of Arms and a Woman’ with First Hand Records. Her playing is regularly featured on Radio, TV and Film.
Theatre work has included musician and musical director roles for Jericho House, English Touring Theatre, Barbican BITE, the RSC, National Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe, including the Globe’s premier Broadway transfers of Twelfth Night and Richard III in 2013 starring Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry. Recently appearances include; touring the UK as Musical Director/Band Leader on Jessica Swayle’s Olivier Award winning Nell Gwynn directed by Christopher Luscombe with music by Nigel Hess, following a successful run in London’s West End (2016): Musical Director/Band Leader on Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s acclaimed and rabble-rousing new play Emilia for Shakespeare’s Globe (2018): and principal performer for the RSC’s production of Merry Wives of Windsor (Barbican, 2018-19)
In addition to her performing schedule, Emily is a lecturer in Music at Brunel University London, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Shakespeare’s Globe Higher Education department, and is regularly invited to other H.E. institutions for guest lectures and practical workshops. Her first album as a soloist (with Amyas) 'The Ghost in the Machine', showcases her DMus research and was released in October 2021.
Arngeir Hauksson
Arngeir Hauksson was born in Iceland but came to London for his postgraduate studies on the guitar and the lute at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Arngeir now specializes in historical plucked instruments from the medieval, renaissance and baroque periods performing on copies of original instruments. He also plays classical, folk and electric guitars, as well as percussion and the hurdy-gurdy.
Arngeir performs and records with many major English ensembles and opera companies. These have included The Sixteen, Ex Cathedra, City Musick, Blondel, Glyndebourne, English National Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera North, the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has for 10 years been a principal player and musical director for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, also performing in the National Theatre, London's West End and on Broadway, New York.
He has a keen interest in new music and has collaborated with artists such as Damon Albarn, Sally Beamish, Tony Allen, Bruce Dickinson and William Lyons and he regularly performs in The Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court Palace and Tower of London.