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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2006
WINTER PARK, FL - The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park is pleased to announce its schedule for the 2006–2007 season. Marking 72 years of providing quality musical entertainment to Central Florida, this season includes the Visiting Artist Series, the Choral Masterworks Series, and the Fred Rogers Family Series, as well as the nationally acclaimed Winter Park Bach Festival.
All concerts are held on the beautiful campus of Rollins College in either the Knowles Memorial Chapel or the new John M. Tiedtke Concert Hall, located in Keene Hall.
Visiting Artists Series
The Bach Festival Society will present the three remaining performances of the four-concert series, each featuring visiting soloists or chamber ensembles that have performed major works of the past and the work of talented new composers in the world's greatest concert halls.
A world-class master pianist, Ohlsson will play an all-Beethoven program for the Bach Festival Society just two days before his "Great Performers at Lincoln Center" performance in New York. Ohlsson is noted for his masterly performances of the works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, as well as other Romantic-era composers.
One of the world's most sought-after guitar ensembles, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet is known at home as the "Dream Team." Hailed by the Washington Post for its "seductive beauty" and "virtuosic gusto," its performances have been met with ecstatic audience responses, rave reviews, and sold-out halls.
The New York Times reported after a recent performance by Midori: "Still in control of the dazzling technique that made her a presence on concert stages in her early teens, the 34-year-old artist has gained an interpretive depth to match that virtuosity." Midori is also a part of the "Great Performers at Lincoln Center" upcoming season.
Choral Masterworks Series
The Choral Masterworks Series highlights the 150-member Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra. The Bach Festival Society will present the two remaining performances of the three-concert series.
Featuring a new international twist with special guests, these celebrated annual events will inspire your holiday and make the season even more magical.
"The Russians Are Coming!" with Alexander Nevsky, The 1812 Overture, and more: The dynamic music of 19th- and 20th-century Russian composers at their most powerful and poignant will include Prokofiev's suite for chorus, mezzo soloist, and orchestra from Sergei Eisenstein's classic film Alexander Nevsky. You'll hear Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with its rarely heard choral finale and several other works.
The Fred Rogers Family Series
This Series honors "Mr. Rogers," one of Rollins College's most distinguished alumni, who brought music, storytelling, and laughter to generations of "Neighborhood" children. The Series consists of three informal, hour-long Saturday morning performances designed to appeal to all ages. The Bach Festival Society proudly presents the two remaining concerts in the series.
Enjoy a period-instrument performance of music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, including Shakespearean songs as well as well-known masterpieces and recently discovered works. Authentic instruments such as early flutes, viola da gamba, lute, theorbo, and early guitar will make this interactive concert a delight in an intimate setting.
Hailed by the Washington Post for its "seductive beauty" and "virtuosic gusto," the Brazilian Guitar Quartet is a treasured addition to both the Fred Rogers Family Series and the Visiting Artists Series. Time and time again this group's performances have been met by ecstatic audience responses, rave reviews, and sold-out halls.
The 72nd Annual Winter Park Bach Festival
The New York Times recently recognized the Winter Park Bach Festival as "one of the outstanding choral events in the country." This two-week annual tradition brings live performances of great vocal and instrumental music to the dramatic setting of Knowles Memorial Chapel.
These hilarious performances of the fictitious 18th-century composer whose time never came—or should never have come—should not be missed! The Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra join Peter Schickele in the fun, presenting works of PDQ Bach, "the last and least offspring" of Bach's many children.
No composer in history has been more successful than Handel in writing music that dramatizes historic heroic and legendary figures in music. Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, coronation anthems, and some of the most famous choruses and arias from his celebrated oratorios are featured.
Wynton Marsalis has said of the NPR commentator, "Whether you know a lot about music or nothing at all, Miles Hoffman will help you think about what you listen to and how you listen."
Credited with bringing "a highly sophisticated musical culture" to America, these early immigrants from the present Czech Republic gave us music that has been likened to other European masters such as Haydn, Mozart, and C.P.E. Bach. This program features the best late 18th- and early 19th-century Moravian music, including a viola concerto performed by guest artist Miles Hoffman.
The Passion According to St. John is one of Bach's greatest choral masterworks. Based on the last days of Christ's life as told in the Gospel of St. John, this powerful musical drama comes to life through the artistry of the choir, soloists, and orchestra.
The Winter Park Bach Festival closes with Paul Jacobs, Chairman of the Organ Department of New York's Juilliard School, performing the annual organ recital on the chapel's famed Aeolian-Skinner/Randall Dyer organ. The Washington Post has lauded Jacobs' "fluency and creative energy that deserve a standing-room audience."
Ticket Information
Tickets for the Concert Series are now available by calling the Bach Festival office at 407-646-2182. Single tickets for the 72nd Annual Winter Park Bach Festival go on sale January 3, 2007.
About the Bach Festival Society
The Bach Festival Society, located in Winter Park, Florida, is the premier classical music organization in the state of Florida and one of the longest continuously operating festivals in the country. The Bach Festival Society brings the highest caliber of classical music to Central Florida. Performances are held in the intimate setting of the Tiedtke Concert Hall and the Knowles Memorial Chapel on the beautiful campus of Rollins College.
For more information regarding the upcoming season or to order tickets, please call the Bach Festival Society at 407-646-2182 or visit us online at www.bachfestivalflorida.org.