The Kaleidoscope Band

The Kaleidoscope Band was formed in 2019, and is an Early Music ensemble with five internationally recognised musicians playing a wide range of instruments. Ingeborg Christophersen plays recorders, czakan, harpsichord and organ; Catherine Martin plays historical violin, viola and viola d’amore; Mari Giske plays various historical violas and the viola d’amore; Alison McGillivray plays the viola da gamba, lyra viol and cello. They work with a guest player of theorbo, lute and historical guitar for every project; these have included Jadran Duncumb, Eligio Luis Quinteiro and Thomas Boysen.

Ingeborg has received numerous awards and grants such as The Norwegian Society of Tone Artists’ ‘Musician of the year’ prize. She has appeared as soloist with orchestras including The Norwegian Opera Orchestra, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Ukraine’s National Symphonic Orchestra. Ingeborg was the inspiration for a play by Goksøyr & Martens in 2009, in which she acted herself at the Norwegian National Theatre. As a continuo keyboard player, Ingeborg has worked with ensembles such as the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and The Norwegian Soloist Choir. She is the organist of the medival Nesodden Church outside Oslo. Ingeborg has studied at The Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (Denmark), Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Norwegian NLA and holds master degrees both as a recorder player and harpsichordist as well as an organist degree. She is currently taking her master’s degree in church music at the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Catherine read music at St Anne’s College, Oxford University, completing her postgraduate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, on the advanced solo studies course. Now specialising in performance on period instruments, Catherine has led the orchestra of the Early Opera Company since its inception in 1994, and has been leader of the Gabrieli Consort and Players since 2005. She gives frequent masterclasses and workshops to modern orchestras who wish to learn more about historical performance. Catherine also plays in the Salomon String Quartet, exploring music of the Classical period from Haydn to Mendelssohn. She teaches at the Royal College of Music in London.

After studies in The Hague and eight years as a freelance musician in London with ensembles such as The English Concert, English Baroque Soloists and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Mari is now based in Norway where she is principal viola of the Oslo-based baroque orchestra Barokkanerne in addition to running several Norwegian early music ensembles and touring with other European ensembles. In 2021, she received the Rolf Gammleng Honorary Award for Performing Artists for her work as an Early Music performer, and in 2024 she was the recipient of FFUK’s Performer’s grant. Over the years, she has also freelanced on her modern viola in various settings.

Alison has performed as a soloist and director in the UK and throughout Europe. Her solo recordings include CPE Bach’s Cello Concerto, Geminiani Cello Sonatas, Tobias Hume’s songs and viol music with Concerto Caledonia, Vivaldi’s L’Estro Armonico with Rachel Podger & Brecon Baroque, and Nine Daies Wonder with The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments. Alison has been a coach with the European Union Baroque Orchestra, has given masterclasses in Europe and North America, and has taught at the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.