Raffael Scheck and Timothy Burris formed the ensemble ScheckMate in 2017 to explore and promote two distinct duo repertoires featuring the cello with plucked-string accompaniment.

The combination of violoncello and theorbo is especially felicitous in the Italian repertoire of the baroque period. (For this repertoire, Mr Scheck uses a baroque cello and bow.) There is also a small but growing repertoire for cello and guitar, both original works and arrangements, including Carl Maria von Weber’s Hungarian Rondo, Opus 35 (on today’s program).

Raffael Scheck (‘cello) was born in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). He is professor of modern European history at Colby College, where he has taught since 1994. Before becoming a historian, he studied cello for several semesters with Claude Starck at the conservatory of Zürich. He has more recently specialized in baroque cello and performed with a variety of baroque groups in Maine, including the Colby Collegium, Music’s Quill, and St. Mary’s Schola.

Timothy Burris (theorbo and guitar) has performed widely in Europe and the US, including many appearances with world-renowned early music specialists. Ciaccona, the most recent of his nine CD recordings includes his lute transcription of Bach’s monumental Ciaconna for solo violin. A Fulbright alumnus, Mr Burris is a graduate of The Hague’s Royal Conservatory and holds a Ph.D. from Duke University. A lute instructor at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music in Antwerp from 1990-96, he is currently on the faculties of the Portland Conservatory of Music and Colby College.