Music at Church of the Advent: February 2018

Paul Ellison, Director of Music at the Church of the Advent of Christ the King, has announced that the church’s resident professional choir, Schola Adventus, will be singing at two major services during the month of February. Both will be early evening services beginning at 6:30 p.m. Specifics are as follows:

Friday, February 2, Blessing of Candles, Procession & High Mass for the Presentation of Christ in the Temple: The text of the Mass will be sung to a four-voice setting by Claudio Monteverdi; other composers whose music will be performed will be Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, William Byrd, and Josquin des Prez.

Wednesday, February 14, High Mass with Imposition of Ashes: The Ash Wednesday service will include music by Byrd, Thomas Tallis, and William Walton.

This will also be a good time to note that the Third Sunday Concert for February will present the duo of Alexandra Iranfar and Timothy Sherren. Both Iranfar and Sherren studied guitar at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Iranfar is also a soprano. When they first started giving concerts, they called themselves One Great City, eventually releasing the album Excursions under that name. However, the new year seems to have brought a new name; and they are now performing as SopraDuo. At the February Third Sunday Concert they will be appearing with guitarist Cristóbal Selame. The program will include music by Bach, Fernando Sor, and Cole Porter; and the performance will begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 18.

Readers should also recall that, as was announced earlier this month, the Church of the Advent will host San Francisco Early Music Society’s February concert featuring the Agave Baroque instrumental ensemble.

The Church of the Advent of Christ the King is located at 261 Fell Street, between Franklin Street and Gough Street. The entry is diagonally across the street from the SFJAZZ Center. There will, of course, be no admission fee for church services; but those attending the service are kindly requested to leave something in the collection plate. Third Sunday Concerts also do not charge for admission but will appreciate a suggested donation of $20.