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, Cockerham has performed with numerous ensembles – Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, the Mostly Mozart Festival, Tenet Vocal Artists, Four Nations Ensemble, Artek, New York Baroque Incorporated, New Vintage Baroque, the Academy of Sacred Drama and J415. He founded voice and plucked string duo Jarring Sounds with mezzo-soprano Danielle Reutter-Harrah, and helped form chamber ensemble Voyage Sonique.
Beyond chamber music, Cockerham concentrates on 17th-century Italian opera. He served as assistant conductor for dell’Arte Opera Ensemble’s production of 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, 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).
Cockerham is a doctoral candidate at the Juilliard School after completing a Master of Music degree in Historical Plucked Strings. He also holds Master and Bachelor of Music degrees in Classical Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory. 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.
