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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. |
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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: |
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Oct 25, 2008 |
Dec 14, 2008 |
Feb 22, 2009 |
Apr 26, 2009 |
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Oct 25, 2009 |
Nov 15, 2009 |
Dec 13, 2009 |
Jan 31, 2010 |
Mar 21, 2010 |
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May 2, 2010 |
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Oct 10, 2010 |
Dec 5, 2010 |
Feb 13, 2011 |
Apr 17, 2011 |
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Feb 12, 2012 |
Apr 22, 2012 |
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Oct 28, 2012 |
Dec 2, 2012 |
Mar 24, 2013 |
Apr 28, 2013 |
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Oct 20, 2013 |
Dec 1, 2013 |
Feb 16, 2014 |
Apr 6, 2014 |
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Source: Bach at the Sem Website |
Prepared by Aryeh Oron (May 2013) |
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