About Ensemble Tempus Floridum & Joan Yakkey

Joan Yakkey, Director of the Tempus Floridum Vocal Ensemble from Florence, Italy, has completed her studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music at Queens College in New York City; she has also studied musical composition at the University of California and at other Musical Institutions in Austria, France and Italy. Prof. Yakkey has degrees in Piano Performance, European and Choral Music/Direction from the Cherubini Music Conservatory of Florence, Italy. For over thirty-six years she taught piano at this Conservatory and was the Director of the Conservatory's Children's Choir.

In 1979 Prof. Yakkey founded the Youth Choral Department of the Music School of Fiesole, near Florence, and has been teaching at the School for nearly thirty years together with her Assistants and accompanying pianists. She arranges and develops many scores for her young singers (such as the Bach Christmas Oratorio) and trains them in the bel canto style of singing. Her students sing in the operas and symphonic productions at the Opera Theater of Florence Italy, Zubin Mehta Artistic Director.

Through the years Prof. Yakkey has prepared singers, arranged anonymous Early Music and conducted repertory for several CD recordings among which are: Brundibar by Hans Krasa (in Italian), Venetian melodies from the 18th century arranged for Soprano, Tenor and Mezzo-soprano soloists, The Little Sweep by Benjamin Britten (in Italian), Canzonette and Sacred Songs for three voices by Claudio Monteverdi, "Gogo in the Jungle" an illustrated children's music book published in Switzerland with original songs, La Boheme and Tosca by G. Puccini conducted by Zubin Mehta with Andrea Bocelli and the Florence Opera Chorus and Orchestra (Decca label), I Medici, a newly discovered opera by Leoncavallo. Prof. Yakkey has also collected and edited Italian Traditional Songs for Children.

Prof. Yakkey has edited Four Canzonette by Claudio Monteverdi with Treble Clef Editors, USA.

Maestro Joan Yakkey desires to dedicate herself to her personal composition, arrangements and musical research in the many Italian libraries; these contain manuscripts, folksongs and old editions of music that will be performed by her choral groups, madrigal singers and young soloists.

Every year Prof. Yakkey tours with her vocal groups for Music Festivals.


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