Calliope is a New York City-based band which plays Renaissance music and modern music using early musical instruments, such as the sackbut, shawm, viol, and the hurdy-gurdy.
[1] Calliope won the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 1975.
[2][3] The band performed at the 1977 U.S. Presidential inauguration[4] and later contributed to the soundtrack for R O Blechman's 1978 PBS holiday special Simple Gifts.
The band released three albums: Calliope Dances: A Renaissance Revel (Nonesuch,[5] 1982); Calliope Festival (Nonesuch, 1984); and Diversions (Summit, 1990).
The band recorded Peter Schickele's composition Bestiary in 1984.