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History & Mission: |
The Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival presented its third annual performance celebrating the variety and genius of Bach’s music in November 2010. A pre-concert lecture took place before each concert, and there was be a post-concert reception as well. Leading the festival this yearwere music directors Ann Stephenson-Moe and Richard Benedum. Stephenson-Moe is conductor and organist for the Sarasota concert; Benedum is conductor and organist for the Bradenton concert. The festival’s featured musicians are: Richard Benedum, organ; Isabelle Besançon, violoncello; Jennifer Best, violin; Adam De Sorgo, oboe; Andrew Kemp, trumpet; Ann Stephenson-Moe, organ; Julane Rodgers, harpsichord; and Rebecca Hudson Traba, flute. The Booker Middle School Chorus was featured in a duet from the Bach Cantata BWV 78.
2010 season’s musical selections included the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, Capriccio on the Departure of His Beloved Brother (BWV 992), Cantata BWV 150 Nach Dir, Herr, Herr, verlanget mich, Suite No. 3 In D Minor For Unaccompanied Cello, BWV 1009, Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten, Fugue In G major ("Gigue"), BWV 577, and "Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben, Cantata BWV 147."
"We’ve selected music for this concert to show the great variety in Bach’s repertoire," Benedum commented. "The Brandenburg Concertos are among his most popular works, and the Second Concerto is perhaps the most brilliant of all. The rest of the music for this concert showcases other sides of Bach’s amazingly varied musical output. We’ll close with the familiar ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,’ certainly one of Bach’s most beloved melodies."
Benedum explains that 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." |
