To sing to the lute

is an art barely separate

from the art of declaiming verse.

It requires clarity and beauty of tone;

a natural flow of language;

and a delicate sense of response to the lute:

The instrument of courtly love.

Christopher Morrongiello, lute

 Marcia Young, voice and harp

The critics

Young has an elegant, dark-hued soprano voice that she employs with a winning mixture of formal restraint and emotional intensity. Her diction is excellent, her pitch sense spot-on.  

      -- Washington Post

A lute recital of 16th-century pieces placed to perfection by a young expert, American-born Christopher Morrongiello in a style of unhurried virtuosity ... Incredibly delicate in action, his hands were absolutely mesmerizing to watch, with a fingertip action that caressed the strings ... producing sounds that caused one to marvel.

      -- Eastern Daily Press

A skilled, cogently thought-out performance ... Young's gentle voice glided easily between her highest and lowest notes, adhering carefully to phrasing that made both musical and poetic sense.   

      -- Washington Post

The lutenist [Chris Morrongiello] demonstrated a multifaceted talent, with expressive force at times enchanting.

     -- Amadeus