Travel the world to hear the music of Johann Sebastian Bach this month – virtually, of course. Featuring concerts in Poland, Minnesota and New Mexico, the 2021 Arizona Bach Festival brings the Baroque composer’s works to digital devices with a trio of performances by renowned classical music artists.
First up: organist Aaron David Miller, who injects his passionate organ recital with wit and commentary that displays his absolute unashamed adoration for the instrument. You might learn more than you wanted to know about Miller’s organs, and you’ll never forget his flashy pedal technique. For this concert on Sunday, February 21, he will play all three organs at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
LuteDuo will pluck things up on Sunday, February 28, with highly technical luting of both Bach music and the music of his lute-loving colleague, Silvius Leopold. The Polish couple’s performance was recorded in the Church of the Ascension in Warsaw, Poland.
Wrapping up the musical trinity will be “Arias with Violin and Organ” on Sunday, March 7. A selection of arias including cantatas and masses will be sung by soprano Ingela Onstad and baritone Michael Hix, both faculty members at the University of New Mexico. Their vocals will adorn music played by festival concertmaster and violinist Stephen Redfield and Maxine Thévenot, the organist at the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the performance is filmed.
“While we can’t reproduce the live concert experience, technology does allow for some surprising silver linings,” says Scott Youngs, Arizona Bach Festival music director. “We are looking forward to connecting these phenomenal artists with our audiences, and to share their performances from such distinct and interesting venues.”
All performances begin at 3 p.m. MST. Each concert kicks off with a brief introduction by Phoenix choral director and music educator, Dr. Craig Westendorf, and is followed by a post-show “meet and greet” Zoom event with the artists. Festival passes cost $60 and include access to all three concerts. Patrons who want access to the post-concert Zoom sessions can purchase a Festival Pass Plus for $100. Visit arizonabachfestival.org.
