Sara Glanzer and Sean Maxwell transported the melodies of the British Isles to Valongo as they enchanted the audience with their performance of Renaissance Music on recorder and organ at the FIOMS International Festival of Organ and Sacred Music.

Valongo - a city pulsating with culture and tradition, the Paleozoic Park serves as a living testament to Earth's history. This unique laboratory preserves fossils from the Paleozoic Era, providing a captivating experience for history enthusiasts and a tangible link to ancient life.

Venturing into the surrounding serras, visitors discover remnants of Roman mining sites, bearing witness to Valongo's pivotal role during a historical peak in mining activities. These ancient artifacts, coupled with the city's geological wonders, weave a narrative of Valongo's rich past.

Valongo not only embraces its geological and mining heritage but also celebrates its cultural and culinary legacy. The annual Toy Festival commemorates a century of Portuguese traditional toys, fostering a connection between generations. Meanwhile, the Workshop of Regueifa and Biscuit stands as a living ode to Valongo's culinary prowess, inviting visitors to savor the city's esteemed artisanal bread and biscuits while immersing themselves in the cultural heritage of the region.

This commitment to preserving heritage extends beyond Valongo's physical landmarks to its vibrant cultural scene. Demonstrating a dedication to fostering artistic expression, the municipality recently sponsored three concerts as part of the FIOMS International Festival of Organ and Sacred Music in the Greater Porto region. Attending one of these performances provided a firsthand glimpse into the synergy between Valongo's historical richness and its contemporary support for the arts.

Bringing the sounds of the British Isles to Valongo, Sara Glanzer and Sean Maxwell performed Renaissance Music for recorder and organ in the FIOMS International Festival of Organ and Sacred Music.

The Valongo audience was graced with music untypical for the Iberian Peninsula. The historic organ housed here was constructed in Huddersfield, England more than 140 years ago and is a terrific representation of the warm, reserved sound we expect from Romantic English instruments. This stark contrast to the bright, reedy “Iberian sound” gave the listeners a glimpse into a soundscape they surely won’t soon forget.

Sara, an Austrian recorder player, and Sean Maxwell, an American organist and harpsichordist, used their expertise in early music and historically informed performance practise to breathe life into the sounds of the ages past. On the menu for the evening were works composed in England between 1500 and 1650, with a special emphasis on William Byrd, whose 400th death anniversary is celebrated this year. Some soft and lyrical, some loud and fast, others brooding and dark, there was something for everyone at this very special festival performance.