L’Estravagante was founded in 2007, the third centenary of Buxtehude’s death.
For this occasion, Stefano Montanari (violin), Rodney Prada (viola da gamba) and Maurizio Salerno (harpsichord) recorded D. Buxtehude’s only published work, Suonate a doi, violino & viola da gamba, con cembalo, op. 1 and op.2, firstly on CD for Amadeus magazine (March 2007) and then on SACD for Arts label (December 2007), receiving the Supersonic Award from Pizzicato magazine (March 2008).
In 2008 violinist Stefano Rossi joined the group.
Well-known musicians in Italy and Europe, they take part in the most important early music festivals, as soloists or with ensembles such as Il Giardino Armonico, Europa Galante, Accademia Bizantina, Les Talens Lyriques, La Capella della Pietà de' Turchini.
Stefano Montanari and Maurizio Salerno also recorded J.S. Bach’s Sonatas for Obbligato Harpsichord and Violin (La Bottega Discantica).
L’Estravagante has a thriving artistic activity in Italy and Europe.
A new recording, J. Pachelbel’s “Musikalische Ergötzung” (six trio sonatas) will be published by Amadeus in February and by Arts in May 2009.
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> Stefano Montanari

After obtaining a diploma “cum laude” in violin and piano, Stefano Montanari specialised in Chamber Music under Maestro PierNarciso Masi at the Music Academy of Florence, and obtained a further diploma as soloist under Maestro Carlo Chiarappa at the Swiss Italian Conservatory in Lugano.
Since 1995 he has played as first violinist in the Accademia Bizantina of Ravenna.
He collaborates with some of the most important exponents in the field of early music, and particularly with C. Rousset (with whom he has recently recorded Bach’s Sonatas for violin and obbligato harpsichord for Naïve), with “Concerto Köln” as Konzertmeister and conductor and with “Kammerorchester Basel” (with whom he will soon record – a world premiere – A. Montanari’s violin concerti, for Sony).
He has recorded with record companies like Fonè, Frequenz, Denon, Opus 111, Erato, Virgin, Tactus, Astrée, Thymalus, Simphonya, Bottega Discantica, Decca, Oiseau Lyre, Naive e Arts (recently, his recording of Sonatas op. 5 by Corelli obtained a “Diapason d’or” in France and several further international prizes).
In March 2007 he was the protagonist of the issue of Amadeus magazine, with a complete recording of D. Buxtehude’ Sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and continuo.
He teaches baroque violin at Accademia Internazionale della Musica di Milano and a II level baroque violin course at “Dall’Abaco” Conservatory in Verona; for the last two years he has also been a teacher at the International Courses of Early Music in Urbino.
Beyond his activity as a soloist, he is also a conductor. He made his debut with Mozart’s Nozze di Figaro for the season of the Orchestra "I Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano", in collaboration with As.Li.Co, he has conducted Orchestra 1813 of Como and in the next autumn he will be a protagonist of the Autumn Season at Bergamo Theatre, conducting the Bergamo Musica Festival “G.Donizetti” Orchestra in the opening concert and in G. Donizetti’s “Don Gregorio”.
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> Maurizio Salerno

He was born in Milan in 1970, and graduated in Organ and Composition for organ from the Conservatory of his home town, and in Harpsichord, under Ottavio Dantone, from the Conservatories of Lugano and Turin. He furthered his studies at the "Schola Cantorum" in Basel under Jean-Claude Zehnder; he studied also with Andrea Marcon.
With an intensive concert schedule throughout Italy and Europe, he has also given concerts in the United States, Brasil, Mexico, Russia and Australia. With Stefano Montanari (violin) and Rodney Prada (viola da gamba), Maurizio has founded the ensemble "L'Estravagante" and recorded the complete sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord by D. Buxtehude, published by Amadeus and due to be republished soon by Arts.
Together with Edoardo Bellotti, he has recorded a CD of music for two organs by Bach and Handel (Unicef), a CD of the organ version of Haydn's “Seven Last Words from the Cross” and a CD of Pachelbel’s “Musikalische Sterbens-Gedanken”, both for Amadeus magazine, and two CDs of Bernardo Pasquini's “Sonate a due bassi” (December 2004 and August 2006).
Maurizio Salerno is the Organist at the renowned Basilica of Santa Maria della Passione in Milan and teaches Organ at Darfo - Boario Terme Conservatory.
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> Stefano Rossi

He graduated “cum laude” in baroque violin at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied with Lucy van Dael, also participating to the classes of Alfredo Bernardini, Bob van Asperen and Wouter Moller..
He collaborates with groups as Accademia Bizantina, Cappella della Pietà dei Turchini, Musica ad Rhenum, Zefiro, Camerata Anxanum, Ensemble La Fontegara, Al Ayre Espanol, Xacona, Estro Armonico.
With Musica ad Rhenum he recorded the complete chamber music by Francois Couperin, and - with Zefiro Ensemble - Vivaldi’s “concerti per più strumenti” and Mozart’s divertimenti. He also recorded for Naive, Stradivarius, Decca, Ambroyse, Virgin Classic, and the main European radios.
He plays an instrument made by Henry James in London, 1740.
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> Rodney Prada

Born in Costa Rica in 1973 into a family of violinmakers, Rodney Prada began his studies at a young age. In 1986 he moved to Italy where he studied viola da gamba at the Civica Scuola di Musica with Roberto Gini and Vittorio Ghielmi.
After having established himself quickly in the European early music scene, he has participated in numerous productions with the most well-known ensembles ( Elyma, Il Giardino Armonico, La Fenice, Les
Musiciens du Louvre, Europa Galante, Accademia Bizantina, Les Talens Lyriques, Concerto Italiano, Il Suonar Parlante, La Venexiana, L’Amoroso, Labyrinto, Quartetto Italiano di Viole da gamba, La Capella della Pietà de’ Turchini etc. ), performing in prestigious halls throughout Europe and North and South America.
He has recorded for Teldec, Astrée, K617, Opus111, Winte&Winter, Symphonia, Glossa, Naive, Tactus.
As soloist and as member of Il Suonar Parlante, he has dedicated himself not only to early music, but also to contemporary and jazz music in projects that experiment with the use of original instruments in present -day musical contexts. He has collaborated with young Italian
composeres as well as jazz musicians like Uri Caine.
He teaches viola da gamba at the Accademia Internazionale della Musica (Milan).
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