The medieval music ensemble located in The Netherlands draws inspiration from the Sibyls, female prophetesses whose influence spanned from pagan times to the medieval era and the Renaissance.
The ensemble combines sacred and secular music from Western medieval rituals and traditions. Focused on the repertoire from the 11th century to the 15th, consists of voices and historical instruments such as vielle, gothic harp, recorders, organetto, medieval lute, hurdy-gurdy and percussion.
Founded in 2021, the Sibil•la Ensemble is a fusion of international musicians with diverse backgrounds and origins, brought together by the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Since then, the ensemble has performed in music festivals such as the Utrecht Early Music Festival (NL), the New European Bauhaus Festival (BE), the Festival Faneromeni24 (CY), private concerts and events, and has notably released its debut audiovisual album Viriditas in March 2024, in collaboration with the audiophile immersive music label TRPTK.
Meet the members
Portraits by Yinquan Chen
Kristia Michael
artistic director, vocalist, composer and gothic harp player / Cyprus
Kristia is a Cypriot early and contemporary music vocalist and composer who immerses herself in the transformative and sacred dimensions of music. Her artistic journey encompasses a deep exploration of the human voice as an instrument, spanning across medieval, traditional, and contemporary repertoire. Growing up in a village of Cyprus, she is now based in the Netherlands, after completing her Master’s studies in singing and composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. In her work, she delves into extended vocal techniques, pure tones, and folk elements. She is engaged in collaborations with early and new music festivals throughout Europe, enriching her artistic vision with diverse influences and inspirations from folk music. She has recently started learning the gothic harp, and since 2024, she is the label manager of the immersive music label TRPTK.
Marguerite Maire
recorder player and improvisor / France
Marguerite’s passion as a recorder player already counts a decade of dedication and studies. Coming from France seeking new cultural and musical experiences in the multi-cultured city of The Hague, she has a big interest in medieval literature and female figures. She researches their impact on today’s world, pushing creative boundaries and exploring the world of performance art and poetry. She is now in the middle of her Master studies in the Early Music Department of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Additionally, she is very active in the free impro scene and involved in an improvisation-based project called Pluiva Collective, where she fearlessly explores the realm of improvisation in unconventional instrumentation settings.
Coline Kreis
medieval vielle and viola da gamba / France
Coline’s music journey began through medieval singing workshops with the ensemble Mora Vocis and a long-term collaboration with medieval ensemble Hortus Deliciarum. During this time, she started studying the viola da gamba. She studied at the Conservatory of Poitiers and at the Conservatory of Catalonia in Barcelona. She is now in the middle of the Master studies at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, focusing on Renaissance and early Baroque repertoire. Getting back to medieval music with her instrument has been a goal for a few years. She joined Sibil.la’s journey with the medieval vielle, with the same dream of approaching medieval music with folk elements and new aesthetics. Curious about various musical styles and influences, she also performs in traditional music with the Nyckelharpa and has been accompanying Karine Daviet, a French folk singer, on the viola da gamba since 2019.
Jeremy Bass
medieval and renaissance lute / United States
Jeremy Bass is an American guitarist and lutenist, coming to the Netherlands for his Master’s degree in lute and theorbo from Virginia, United States. He holds postgraduate degrees from the University of Kentucky and Columbus State University. Jeremy was especially active in the field of contemporary chamber music, collaborating with composers, ensembles, and orchestras around the world, such as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Lexington Chamber Orchestra. He has been a fellow at SoundSCAPE and Nief-Norf, and a guest with Alia Musica Pittsburgh and the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. Having a special relationship with Spain, he researches musicological aspects from medieval to modern Spanish music and language. Jeremy’s debut solo recording, David del Puerto: Guitar Sonatas, Volume 1, and he is now preparing a new album playing with his father, who is also a lutenist.
Ivan Gianakis
percussionist, conductor and (sometimes) vocalist / Argentina
Born in the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ivan Gianakis begun his studies in orchestra and choir conducting there. Embracing his love for drums, he recorded an album at Abbey Road Studios in London and performed alongside members of the Silk Road Ensemble in the United States. In 2021, Ivan moved to the Netherlands to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in Percussion at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. His time in the Netherlands has been filled with remarkable achievements, including being a soloist with the Jong Metropole, member of the Metropole Orkest academy, and being part of the Jong Netherlands Blazers ensemble. Additionally, he is the founder and conductor of the percussion group La Maquina, an innovative world percussion ensemble that specialises in improvisational music and sign language.
Sibil•la Ensemble 