SFBC Announces 2018–2019 Concerts in SF

The San Francisco Bach Choir (from the ensemble’s home page)

Next month the San Francisco Bach Choir (SFBC), directed by Magen Solomon, will launch its 2018–2019 season of concerts. As in the past, the season will consist of three programs, all of which will be performed at Calvary Presbyterian Church and one of which will be given two performances. Also as in the past, instrumental accompaniment will be provided by the Jubilate Baroque Orchestra for the first and last of the programs and The Whole Noyse for the other. Each program will be presented with the usual imaginatively-conceived title.

Calvary Presbyterian Church is located at 2515 Fillmore Street on the northwest corner of Jackson Street. There are no subscriptions; but, for the remainder of this month, tickets will be sold at a special Early Bird discount that will apply to both general admission and seniors aged 62 or older. Those prices will be $25 for general admission and $20 for seniors. As of the beginning of next month, these prices will go up by $10. In addition there is a $10 rate for patrons under 30 and students with valid identification. All those under nineteen will be admitted without charge through will-call or tickets printed at home. Finally, as in the past, ticket orders may include $25 that will cover the cost of free admission to a member of one of the senior community choirs from neighborhoods in San Francisco. Each concert has its own Brown Paper Tickets event page, accessible through hyperlinks on the dates given in the descriptions to follow.

Sunday, October 14, 4 p.m., Glory and Power: Divine and Earthly Kings: This program will couple compositions by George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. The Handel selections will be two of the anthems composed for the the coronation of King George II in Westminster Abbey in 1727, “The King shall rejoice” (HWV 260) and “Let thy hand be strengthened” (HWV 259). The Bach offering will be the BWV 21 cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (I was much afflicted). Vocal soloists will be soprano Jennifer Paulino, tenor Daniel Hutchings, and baritone Nikolas Nackley.

Saturday, December 1, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 2, 4 p.m., Joyeux Noël! A (Mostly) French Candlelight Christmas: As in the past, the annual traditional Christmas concert will be given two performances. (The specific date may be selected by a pull-down menu on the Brown Paper Tickets event page.) This will be the concert at which The Whole Noyse will perform on a selection of Renaissance instruments. They will be joined by John Walko at the organ, Peter Maund on historically-informed percussion, and Steven Bailey on other keyboards.

Saturday, May 4, 4 p.m., Wolfgang, Marianna, and John: This somewhat cryptic title identifies the three composers to be included in the program. “Wolfgang” is, of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who will be represented by his K. 626 setting of the Requiem Mass text in the version completed after the composer’s death by his student Franz Xaver Süssmayr. “John” is Bach’s youngest son, Johann Christian, who moved to London when he was 27 years old, where he was known as “John Bach.” His share of the program will be his C major setting of the Magnificat canticle. The least familiar of the names will be that of Marianna Martines, who lived in Vienna at the same time as Mozart and often played keyboard duets with him. Her music will open the program with a setting of the “Dixit Dominus” Psalm. Nackley will again be baritone soloist, joined this time by soprano Rita Lilly, mezzo Heidi Waterman, and tenor Kyle Stegall.