About Us
Noxwode, a collective ensemble specialising in period performance of mostly 17th and 18th century music, was founded by Conor Gricmanis and Miriam Nohl in 2018. The ensemble has performed throughout the UK and the continent, and have proudly just released their debut album of 'Uccellini - Violin sonatas from op.3 - op.5' with the label First Hand Records. The ensemble has also performed in prestigious venues such as St Martin-In-The-Fields (London), Coudenberg SoundBox Fest (Brussels, Belgium), Handel's Church (St George's, Hanover Square, London) and has recently performed in St Jame's Palace (London) with members of the Royal Family present. August 2022 will see a 10 day residency for the ensemble in the Davos Festival, Switzerland, with three exciting programmes spanning from the 17th century, to 18th century France, and a recent contemporary commission for the ensemble. Noxwode performs on period instruments, and have recently been granted a loan of 16th and 17th century instruments from a private collection in Oxford, including access to the 1572 Andrea Amati Violin on which the Venetian sonatas were recorded. The members of Noxwode are both current students and alumni of the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Academy of Music in Ljubljana, and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Noxwode are proud and grateful recipients of a generous grant from the Continuo Foundation, to support their tour of 17th century chamber program entitled 'Lies and Morals' throughout the UK in summer 2022.
meet the directors
conor gricmanis - BAROQUE VIOLIN
Musical director
Raised in a farming background in rural Shropshire, England, Conor Gricmanis graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2020 as a Christopher Hogwood Scholar, receiving his Master’s degree in Historical Violin, studying with Bojan Čićič. Conor’s Undergraduate studies were completed at the Royal Academy of Music where he was a student of the world renowned Rachel Podger, and was a concerto soloist for Orchestre Francais Des Jeunes during this time.
A regular performer with many notable UK historical ensembles, such as the Academy of Ancient music, Florilegium, Instruments of Time and Truth, and Illyria Consort, Conor is now associate lead Violinist for the London Baroque Orchestra, and has founded two of his own successful ensembles, Noxwode (a baroque string band) and The WIG Society; a Belgian based chamber ensemble specializing in late 18th/early 19th century repertoire. The WIG Society was recently successful in their audition for the EEEmerging+ scheme based in Ambronay, and will take up their residency from January 2022. In addition, TWS will embark on a world premiere recording of chamber works from the 18th century/early 19th century planned with Outhere Music Records and Arcana in Italy, October 2022.
Working with various orchestras/ensembles in Holland and in France, Conor was recently appointed as the new violinist for the Belgium chamber group Ensemble Ritrovata, and has performed as a principal member with Millenium Orchestra and Il Gardelino. Conor is featured on a number of world premiere recordings with ensembles such as The Illyrian Consort, the AAM, and TWS, and is excited to have recorded his first solo album of 17th century stylus fantasticus Violin sonatas with Noxwode, and the esteemed keyboard player Timothy Roberts in collaboration with First Hand Records. He has performed around the world, including some of the finest venues, such as Wigmore Hall, Brugge Concertgebouw, and The Royal Chapel of Versailles amongst many others. In his final year at the Royal College of Music, he was selected as leader and soloist with the RCM Baroque Orchestra to perform a twelve concert series at Buckingham Palace. Conor plays on a 1660's Albani Violin and also the 1572 Andrea Amati.
Miriam nohl - cello/viola da gamba
Since graduating from the Royal Academy in July 2019, Miriam has been leading a busy freelance life in London (pandemic allowing), and is delighted to have become a La Serenissima Emerging Artist chair holder. Exciting future chamber music projects include a festival of Early Music written by women which is currently being organised by the Judith Collective having successfully secured funding through the Royal Academy's SoundCrowd project; as well as a recording of Uccelini works with the Noxwode ensemble. Miriam also enjoys performing in larger scale works with groups such as Newcastle Baroque, Yorkshire Baroque Soloists, Eboracum Baroque, and Endelienta Baroque. A passionate viola da gamba player, Miriamwas a guest with the Royal College of Music viol consort for their Lachrimae project in early 2020, and is very much looking forward to spending more time playing this repertoire. Aside from performing in conventional concert settings, Miriam is passionate about widening opportunities for classical music participation. Mi
riam is part of the Live Music Now outreach scheme with the Canario Ensemble, and she is a school strings teacher in North London.