Arizona Bach Festival Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The Arizona Bach Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary season, Jan. 13 through Feb. 21, 2019, bringing internationally renowned artists to perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpieces in venues across the Valley.
Led by Scott Youngs, music director, musicians featured in the 2019 Festival include two Arizona State University professors, violinist Katherine McLin and oboist Martin Schuring, joined by violinist Stephen Redfield from the faculty of University of Southern Mississippi in a program of beloved concertos. Virtuoso organist Isabelle Demers performs on the 33-stop instrument at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, while Marion Baroque – a period-instrument trio of flute, harpsichord and viola da gamba – brings the intimacy of chamber music to Christ Church of the Ascension in Paradise Valley.
The Festival also turns the spotlight on Tucson’s premiere choral ensemble, True Concord, in the perfect marriage of voices and orchestra for Bach’s powerful St. Matthew Passion. This tremendous concert on Feb. 21 will be the Festival’s finale, held in Camelback Bible Church.
2019 ARIZONA BACH FESTIVAL LINEUP
Katherine McLin
Sun., Jan. 13, 3 p.m.
MARION BAROQUE
CHAMBER WORKS FOR BAROQUE TRIO
Christ Church of the Ascension, 4015 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley
Wendy Rolfe, flute; Christa Rakich, harpsichord; Alice Robbins, viola da gamba
Three prestigious musicians in the historical instrument performance field will open the 10th anniversary Arizona Bach Festival in a program of chamber works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Members of Marion Baroque harpsichord soloist Christa Rakich, traverse flutist Wendy Rolfe, and Naxos viola da gamba recording artist Alice Robbins will perform two of Bach’s lyrical and lively G Major Trio Sonatas, their own transcriptions of two Organ Trio Sonatas, and Bach’s French Suite in E-flat, for an inspired afternoon.
Sun., Feb. 3, 3 p.m.
BACH CONCERTO CONCERT
DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN/OBOE,
CONCERTO IN E MAJOR & CANTATA SINFONIAS
All Saints’ Episcopal, 6300 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
Katherine McLin, violin; Stephen Redfield, violin; Martin Schuring, oboe
McLin, Redfield and Schuring come to the 2019 Arizona Bach Festival to perform a concert of Bach concerti. All three musicians have prolific careers in major orchestras around the country and bring mastery of their instruments for this program, including the double concerto for violin and oboe, featuring McLin and Schuring, and the Concerto in E Major for violin, featuring Redfield. Completing the program will be the sinfonias from Cantata 156 “I Stand with One Foot in the Grave” and Cantata 196 “The Father Thinks of Us and Blesses Us.”
Sun., Feb. 17, 3 p.m.
ISABELLE DEMERS, ORGANIST, IN RECITAL
All Saints’ Episcopal, 6300 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
Isabelle Demers is rapidly becoming recognized as one of North America’s most brilliant organists. As featured recitalist in many of the most glorious cathedrals and venues around the world, including St. Paul’s Cathedral and Royal Festival Hall in London, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, she comes to the Arizona Bach Festival to perform a varied and impressive selection of Bach works.
Thurs., Feb. 21, 7 p.m.
ST. MATTHEW PASSION
TRUE CONCORD VOICES & ORCHESTRA
Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive, Paradise Valley
J.S. Bach demonstrates his strength as a dramatic composer in this musical interpretation of Christ’s final sufferings. Gathering the powerful forces of 10 soloists, multiple choirs and two orchestras, Bach tells the story through text from the Book of Matthew, German poetry and chorales.
Tickets for the 2019 Arizona Bach Festival are on sale at arizonabachfestival.org.
