By Anne Midgette [Washington Post, 17 June 2008]

The early music movement has come a long way in terms of acceptance and understanding, but it still projects a sense of do-it-yourself. The Washington Early Music Festival, which opened its fourth season Sunday night, offers, in this spirit, a nice balance of professionalism and small-scale intimacy. On the one hand, it casts a spotlight on the breadth of early music that has grown up in this area in the last couple of decades -- all of the performers this season (which runs through June 28) are locally based. On the other, it still feels appealingly homemade.