Lente is an established classical soloist and ensemble singer. She holds an LLM from North-West University (South Africa), where she trained under Lieder specialist Werner Nel. Other teachers include Nellie du Toit, Hanna van Schalkwyk and Minette Pearce, who supervised her MMus recitals in 2015. From 2007 she sang regularly in various oratorio performances under conductor Barry Smith until his retirement in 2015, as well as in solo and chamber music recitals of romantic and modern repertoire with pianist Albie van Schalkwyk. Over the past ten years she has developed a keen interest in early music and has been involved in a great many varied productions not only as a singer, but also as arranger and director. Out of over 100 concert performances, her personal highlights  include projects with the Cape Consort in collaboration with the Fugard Theatre, specifically the ‘Monteverdi Project’ (a series of madrigal concerts), ‘Cupid’ in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis and ‘Dido’ in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas; her performances in Handel’s Messiah and Dixit Dominus with Camerata Tinta Barocca; her tour of Germany and Switzerland as ‘Second Woman’ with ensemble così facciamo in their Dido and Aenneas; and, of course, every Lutesong concert with husband Uwe Grosser. Lente teaches singing at Bishops Diocesan College and Herschel Girls School in Cape Town.

Uwe studied classical guitar and Bavarian folk music at the Richard Strauss Conservatory (Munich), historical plucked string performance at Musikhochschule Würzburg and lute building with Robert Lundberg. He himself built the set of instruments on which he performs. He has played basso continuo in period performances at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Staatstheater Stuttgart and Nuremburg Opera, and has appeared as guest in many German period ensembles, most notably Seven Tears and così facciamo, both of which he co-founded. Over the last 15 years Uwe has forged strong musical ties with local South African ensembles, including Ensemble Refugium, Cape Consort, Cape Town Opera, Camerata Tinta Barocca and Dizu Kuduhorn Band. He recorded his solo album, Fantasia, in Stellenbosch in 2003. Uwe has five black belts in Jiu-Jitsu – a sport he has practiced actively for over 40 years. He also plays guitars, brass, zither and clarinet, and currently teaches guitar at Rondebosch Boys High in Cape Town.

The Lutesong Consort specializes in early vocal ensemble music and usually performs with plucked string basso continuo. The size of the ensemble varies depending on the repertoire. We currently have 15 members:

Sopranos:

Lynelle Kenned

Elsabé Richter

Rachelle Pretorius

Altos:

Vasti Knoesen

Lente Louw

Lusibalwethu Sesanti

Tenors:

Jason Atherton

Willem Bester

Nick de Jager

Basses:

Charles Ainslie

Keaton Manwaring

Abonga Sithela

Basso continuo:

Uwe Grosser (lutes, baroque guitar)

Colleen Oxtoby (viola da gamba)

Vera Vukovic (lutes)