About Us
Get to know us
From Ancient Greek: διά (diá, "through, across") + πέντε (pénte, "five").
Formed in 2022 in Toronto, Canada, the Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet specializes in the beautiful, wonderful, rare and unique vocal music of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Combining solo and ensemble musicianship, bold unpretentious enthusiasm, and scholarly historical approaches to interpretation, Diapente brings the music of old to new audiences.
The quintet's goals include both welcoming those new to Early Music to the world of madrigals, motets, and monodies, as well as introducing lesser-known and rare works to the genre's veteran fans. Alongside time-honoured classics by the likes of Byrd, Morley, or Monteverdi, Diapente's repertoire highlights rare and often unrecorded works by composers such as Scipione Lacorcia, Vicente Lusitano, and Richard Pygott.
Alongside their regular Toronto concert season, Diapente is often invited to perform and run workshops for presenters including the Royal Ontario Museum, Choir Camp Canada, Hammer Baroque, and Music at Met United.
Meet the Quintet
Jane Fingler
Soprano
Jane Fingler is a Toronto-based soprano originally from Winnipeg. In addition to singing in Diapente, she performs regularly with groups such as Tafelmusik, The Trinity Bach Project, The Theatre of Early Music, The Toronto Consort and Choir 21.
Recent solo highlights include Handel's Dixit Dominus with Tafelmusik and The Theatre of Early Music (2025), Handel's Messiah at St. James Cathedral (2024) and Bach's BWV 107 and BWV 72 with the Trinity Bach Project (2024/25). She has also performed with the Winnipeg and Regina Symphony Orchestras, The Elora Singers, The Toronto Mendelssohn Singers/Choir, Opus 8, The Okanogan Festival Singers, The Oakville Choral, The Ottawa Bach Choir and Canzona, Polycoro and Dead of Winter in Winnipeg.
She obtained her Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba, a Master's in Historical Performance from the University of Toronto, and is currently working on finishing her DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts, Historical Performance) from the University of Toronto. When she's not performing, Jane enjoys spending time in nature pondering existence and cooking delicious vegetarian food.
Peter Koniers
Countertenor
Peter Koniers is an American countertenor studying for his Doctorate of Music in Historical Performance at the University of Toronto. At home on both the concert and operatic stage, he is passionate about all forms of music pre-1800 but his specialization is focused on German Baroque repertoire at the turn of the 18th century.
Peter also directed Antoine Dauvergne's Les Troqueurs as an Opera McGill Horizons Project in 2018.
Alexander Cappellazzo
Tenor
Born on the auspicious Feast Day of Bach, Handel and Purcell, it was surely fated that Alexander Cappellazzo would immerse himself in music! Praised for his "strong, clear tone", "excellent acting and singing" (Opera Canada), and "agile voice" (Stage Door), Alexander has brought life to roles such as Tamino, Nemorino, Lensky and Vasek to name a few.
From Handel, Bach & Mozart, to Wagner, Ginastera & Smetana, "Alex also sings without guile, throwing himself into his programs fearlessly" (Barcza Blog). He sings with opera companies across Ontario including Opera Atelier, VOICEBOX: Opera In Concert, Toronto City Opera, Opera York and Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, and with choral ensembles such as the Toronto Choral Society, Grand River Chorus, Metropolitan United Church Festival Choir, and the Brott Music Festival.
Alexander is the founder of the Apocryphonia Concert Series and co-founder of the Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet; two initiatives dedicated to live performances of rare and underperformed classical music including such highlights as Renaissance Mexican Christmas motets, Azerbaijani piano sonatas, and Norfolk sailor songs. Passionate about making classical music engaging and accessible, he continues to share his artistry throughout the GTA.
Alexander is a member of the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society and an avid cinephile. Outside of music, he enjoys spending time with his wife, his son, and his cat.
Jonathan Stuchbery
Tenor & Plucked Strings
Jonathan Stuchbery is a tenor and lutenist in demand across Canada. He has performed with groups such as Tafelmusik, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Orchestre Baroque Arion and as part of his own projects including Duo Oriana, whose album 'How Like a Golden Dream' was released in spring 2023. They have been featured by Early Music America, and overseas by the Lute Society (London), and St. George's House, Windsor Castle.
In 2020 Jonathan received a Master's in the Performance of Early Music at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona, studying in the studio of Xavier Díaz-Latorre. His classical guitar studies began in Penticton, British Columbia with Selwyn Redivo, and he received a Bachelor of Music with a double major in guitar and lute performance at McGill's Schulich School of Music, where he was recognized for outstanding achievement in Lute.
Martin Gomes
Bass
Martin (he/they) is a writer specializing in music & poetry. He's been afforded the opportunity of performing for people & places such as Opera Atelier, CBC, Sony, Soho House, Warframe, Nuit Blanche, TOLive, and Treemonisha.
With their art, he hopes to set an example of craft commitment, empathy, and observation wherever possible in an attempt to spread messages of loving each other's neighbours even through all the noise.