Calliope is an American instrumental ensemble from New York City specialized in Renaissance and modern music. The group consisted of members Lucy Bardo, Lawrence Benz, Allan Dean, and Ben Harms. The ensemble performed using early instruments including the sackbut, shawm, viol, and hurdy-gurdy. In 1975, the band won the Naumburg Chamber Music Award. They performed at the 1977 U.S. Presidential inauguration and contributed to the soundtrack of the 1978 PBS holiday special Simple Gifts. The group released the studio albums Calliope Dances: A Renaissance Revel in 1982 and Calliope Festival in 1984. In 1984, the ensemble recorded the Peter Schickele composition “Bestiary”. The band released the album Diversions in 1990 through Summit Records.
