Early music artist Adam Cockerham specializes in theorbo, lute, and baroque guitar. Beginning his performance career as a classical guitarist, he then gravitated toward historical plucked strings, preferring the collaborative opportunities of chamber music from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. As an accompanist and continuo player, Mr. Cockerham has performed with numerous ensembles – Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival, TENET Vocal Artists, Four Nations Ensemble, ARTEK, New York Baroque Incorporated, New Vintage Baroque, Academy of Sacred Drama and Juilliard415. He founded voice and plucked string duo Jarring Sounds with mezzo-soprano Danielle Sampson, and helped form chamber ensemble Voyage Sonique. Beyond chamber music, Mr. Cockerham concentrates on 17th-century Italian opera. He served as assistant conductor for dell’Arte Opera Ensemble’s production of Francesco Cavalli’s La Calisto and was involved in numerous modern world premiere performances with companies such as Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik (Le nozze in sogno) and Ars Minerva (Ermelinda, La Circe, La Cleopatra, Le Amazzoni nelle isole fortunate). His early training as a performer of modern music on guitar has led to a sub-specialty of new music for old instruments. In addition to commissioning works for solo and chamber music with lute and theorbo, Mr. Cockerham performed for the premiere of operas and major works with the Prototype Festival (Pulitzer Prize-winning Angel’s Bone), Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (The Judas Passion), and Opera Parallèle (Gesualdo). His discography includes recordings with Jarring Sounds, El Mundo, ARTEK, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, NOVUS NY, Augusta McKay Lodge, Emi Ferguson + Ruckus, and Pacific Guitar Ensemble.
