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Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Bach at the Sem

Name:

Bach at the Sem (BAS)

Location:

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Venues:

Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105

Years:

Since 1993 (Concert Series)

Months:

3-4 choral concerts a year, featuring major works, cantatas, and motets;
1 concert focused primarily on organ works of J.S. Bach, as well as other composers

Artistic Director:

Founding Music Director: Rev. Maestro Robert R. Bergt (1993-2011)
Interim Music Director and Conductor: Jeral Becker (2012-Present)

Ensembles:

American Kantorei

Website:

Bach at the Sem

History & Mission:

Since its inaugural season in 1993, the American Kantorei, the performing group of Bach at the Sem, has presented to the communities of Concordia Seminary and St. Louis at large nearly 100 concerts of the music of premier Lutheran composer, J.S. Bach, as well as music of Heinrich Schütz, Dietrich Buxtehude, Felix Mendelssohn and other Lutheran composers. Performances take place in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus on the Seminary grounds. Annual seasons generally include three or four choral concerts – featuring major works, cantatas, and motets – and one concert focused primarily on organ works of Bach, as well as other composers.

Following a hiatus of some 20 years, the American Kantorei was resurrected in 1993 at the behest of its major sponsors, Robert and Lori Duesenberg and Richard and Phyllis Duesenberg. Maestro Bergt, following conducting and teaching appointments at SIU Carbondale and Valparaiso University, had been serving as the music director at the Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo. He was engaged initially to return periodically to conduct concerts, the preparation for which was done by assistant conductor, Dr. Jeral Becker, a member of the original Kantorei. The concerts soon became popularly known as Bach at the Sem. In 1995, Maestro Bergt, with his continuo-player wife, Joan, returned to the States and became the Artist-in-Residence at Concordia Seminary, his major responsibility being the planning and conducting of Bach at the Sem concerts, usually four or five a season.
From 1993 until Maestro Bergt’s death in July 2011, the American Kantorei performed all the major vocal/choral works of J.S. Bach, many of them several times: the Passions, Masses, oratorios, motets, and over 50 cantatas. Other composers have also been featured, including D. Buxtehude, H. Schütz, F. Mendelssohn, and L.v. Beethoven.
In addition to the choral and instrumental works, Bach at the Sem organist, Dennis Bergin, and several guest organists have performed over 90 organ works of J.S. Bach, as well as those of other composers.

Logo:

 

Oct 25, 2008

Dec 14, 2008

Feb 22, 2009

Apr 26, 2009

 
 

Oct 25, 2009

Nov 15, 2009

Dec 13, 2009

Jan 31, 2010

Mar 21, 2010

May 2, 2010        
       

Oct 10, 2010

Dec 5, 2010

Feb 13, 2011

Apr 17, 2011

 
 

Feb 12, 2012

Apr 22, 2012

     
       

Oct 28, 2012

Dec 2, 2012

Mar 24, 2013

Apr 28, 2013

 
     

Oct 20, 2013

Dec 1, 2013

Feb 16, 2014

Apr 6, 2014

 
 

Source: Bach at the Sem Website

Prepared by Aryeh Oron (May 2013)


Bach Festivals & Cantata Series: Main Page: Countries A-I | Page 2: Countries J-Z | Schedule of Concerts of Bach's Vocal Works
Links to Bach Festivals | Links to Bach Organizations & Societies | Discussions of Bach Festivals & Cantata Concerts
Major Bach Events: Year 2020 | Year 2019 | Year 2018 | Year 2017 | Year 2016 | Year 2015 | Year 2014 | Year 2013 | Year 2012 | Year 2011 | Year 2010 | Year 2009




 

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Last update: Friday, February 22, 2019 13:49