Maria Bayley

**Maria Bayley** is a talented Portuguese musician known for her skills as a harpist and soprano, specializing in early music. She began her musical studies at the Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa, focusing on harpsichord and singing, and furthered her education at prestigious European institutions such as the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg. She is especially recognized for her interpretation and performance of Portuguese Renaissance and Baroque music, founding the ensemble Ars Lusitana dedicated to Portuguese repertoire. Maria has won several awards in harpsichord competitions and is active in early music circles, collaborating with various ensembles and teaching historical performance practices. She is also pursuing doctoral studies in music and organizes concerts featuring early music.

Maria Bayley’s work includes challenging projects such as performing music by Pedro de Cristo and other Iberian composers on the Iberian harp, which she has described as difficult yet deeply rewarding. She blends her expertise as a singer and instrumentalist to bring authenticity and nuance to early music performances, contributing notably to the revival of Portuguese Renaissance polyphony and Baroque music.

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