The Louisville Bach Society has two Christmas performances planned for December. The first will be A Bach Society Christmas. Which will feature traditional church music, including music for double choirs by Palestrina and Bach, Herbert Howells’ Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, and two Bach cantatas.
Melvin Dickinson and Mark Walker will share conducting duties for the concert which takes place Sunday December 5 at 3 P.M. at Calvary Episcopal Church on 821 South 4th Street in Louisville. Tickets are $18, $14, and $12.
On Friday December 10 at 7:30 P.M., the society will perform its annual offering of Handel’s Messiah. The show includes all of the famous choruses, including the “Hallelujah” chorus. Despite what Peppermint Patty ever said in Peanuts, Handel’s first name was George Frideric and not Joe.
As in years past, The Louisville Youth Choir under Terri Foster will join the Bach Society for the show. Walker, who will succeed society founder Dickinson as Music Director next season, will lead the chorus, orchestra, and soloists. Soprano Selena Walker, Alto Michele Wogaman, and bass Alexander Redden will be featured in both performances. The Handel performance will be at Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church at 311 Browns Lane. All tickets are $22. The 2010-2011 season includes six concerts, with the Christmas shows being shows three and four. Shows in February and May are to follow.
The Bach Society specializes in performing the works of Bach, but also realizes a responsibility to the community to perform other major choral-orchestral works by composers such as Brahms, Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Rheinberger, and Vaughn Williams, including those of the Renaissance and the contemporary scene.
Ticket and concert information are available by calling 585-BACH.
