Tickets on Sale For Fourth Annual Bach Festival

Tickets are already on sale for the fourth annual Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival, designed to highlight Baroque music and Bach in particular. 

The program opens November 4 at 7:30 p.m., at Christ Church, 4030 Manatee Ave. W. The November concerts, under the direction of Ann Stephenson-Moe and Richard Benedum, will include orchestral, keyboard, and choral music by J. S. Bach and his son, Johann Christian Bach.

Festival co-director Richard Benedum will offer a pre-concert lecture about a new manuscript copy of the Bach's "Chromatic Fantasy" that was authenticated within the past year.

Stephenson-Moe on harpsichord will perform the "Concerto in E-Flat" by Johann Christian Bach. She said the festival’s mission is “to keep the music of the Baroque period alive, including the music of Bach. We also aim to provide access to Baroque music for young musicians and hope to see many young faces at these concerts.”

Her co-director said that the music for the concert will "show the great variety in Bach's repertoire."

“The 'Double Violin Concerto' is among his most popular works, and the 'Chromatic Fantasy' is among the most dramatic of all Bach's keyboard music," Benedum said. "The rest of the music showcases other sides of Bach’s amazingly varied musical output. We’ll close with one of Bach's most joyous compositions, taken from his 'Christmas Oratorio.'”

Jennifer Best and Christopher Takeda, principal violinists in the Sarasota Orchestra, will perform Bach’s "Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor." Isabelle Besançon, cello, will perform Bach’s "Suite No. 4" for unaccompanied cello.

The Bach festival chorus will sing Bach’s "Cantata 104, Du Hirte Israel," and a selection from Bach’s "Christmas Oratorio" with soloists Alan Brunton and David Verdoni, tenors; and Daniel Cartlidge, baritone.

Julane Rodgers will perform Bach’s well-known "Chromatic Fantasy" for solo harpsichord, and alto Rachel Assi will join Jennifer Best on "Erbarme dich" from Bach’s "St. Matthew Passion."

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, and are available in advance from the church offices. For more information, call Christ Church at 941-747-3709.

The Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival will also present concerts on February 25 and 26, 2012, featuring chamber music by Bach performed on period instruments from the Baroque era, including violin, cello, flute and harpsichord.