CALIFORNIA BACH SOCIETY Paul Flight, Artistic Director

"California Bach [Society] excels in the intricate polyphony of Bach’s choral writing.” Nicholas Jones, “California Bach Society dazzles…” San Francisco Classical Voice, October 2017

“California Bach Society delivers a sublime St. Matthew Passion” Steven Winn, San Francisco Classical Voice, October 2016

December 1-3, 2017 in and the Baltics

Friday, December 1, 8pm, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church 1111 O’Farrell at Franklin, San Francisco 94109

Saturday, December 2, 8pm, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church 555 Waverley at Hamilton, Palo Alto 94301

Sunday, December 3, 4pm, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2300 Bancroft at Ellsworth, Berkeley 94704

Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance. Tickets: $35 (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, and under 30) 650-485-1097 | http://www.calbach.org | [email protected]

Palo Alto, November 2, 2017 Artistic Director Paul Flight leads California Bach Society in an imaginative and varied program of from Poland and the Baltic countries. The 30-voice chamber chorus was recently awarded “Best Baroque Performance” by San Francisco Classical Voice for its 2016 production of J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.

In a departure from JS Bach, the chorus will perform contemporary works from Estonia, , and Latvia, Baroque polychoral music from Poland, and modern arrangements of traditional and folk carols. The chorus will perform in Latin, Church Slavonic, and the languages of each country, including works by Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, and Ēriks Ešenvalds.

Musical activity in Poland blossomed during the 17th century, when the polychoral style was introduced to the courts of Warsaw and Krakow. We present the Magnificat by Mikolaj Zielenski for three choirs, a fine example of 17th century composition, influenced by his studies in Italy. From the Baltic region, we present music by Estonia’s Arvo Pärt, including his lively Bogoroditse Devo from the Orthodox vesper liturgy, and Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. Other pieces include a charming arrangement by Sir David Willcocks of a familiar Polish carol, and other traditional folk tunes.

California Bach Society presents “Christmas in Poland and the Baltics” on December 1-3, 2017 2 of 3

Program:

Poland Lætentur cæli Mikołaj Zieleński, 1560–1620 Deus firmavit orbem terræ (Zieleński) Te lucis ante terminum Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński, fl. 1692–1713 Viderunt omnes fines terræ (Zieleński) Tui sunt cæli (Zieleński) Omni die dic Mariæ Grzegorz Gorczycki, c. 1665–1734 Magnificat (Zieleński) W żłobie leży arr. David Willcocks, 1919–2015 Lulajże, Jezuniu arr. Maciej Małecki, b. 1940

Estonia Bogoroditse Devo Arvo Pärt, b. 1935 Virmalised Veljo Tormis, 1930–2017 Jõulud tulevad (Tormis)

Lithuania Kūčios J. Zabulis Žiema J. Gruodis Žemėn taiką nešu Jonas Govedas, b. 1950

Latvia Magnificat Ēriks Ešenvalds, b. 1977 Three Latvian Carols arr. Andrejs Jansons, 1937–2006 Ziemassvētku nakts Meklētāja ceļš Ai, nama māmiņa

Biographies:

To download photos, please go to http://www.calbach.org/press/

The California Bach Society, a 30-voice chamber chorus, was recently awarded “Best Baroque Performance” by San Francisco Classical Voice for its 2016 production of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Founded in 1971, CBS has specialized in historically informed performances since 1998 and has established a reputation for its interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque choral music. The appointment of artistic director Dr. Paul Flight in 2006 has resulted in highly successful concert seasons. Dr. Flight has enthralled audiences and critics with his thoughtful and refreshing programming, and has become well respected for bringing lesser-known Baroque masterworks to Bay Area stages. Under his direction, the chorus has garnered critical acclaim. In February 2013, Leon Chisholm of San Francisco Classical Voice wrote: “In recent years, the California Bach Society has become a prospector of Baroque gold. Its concerts have brought forth exquisite, rarely heard works by forgotten masters from the lost frontier, to the delight of its audiences.” In 2016 another SFCV reviewer raved, “California Bach Society delivers a sublime St. Matthew Passion.”

California Bach Society presents “Christmas in Poland and the Baltics” on December 1-3, 2017 3 of 3

Artistic Director Dr. Paul Flight—a noted choral conductor, teacher, and singer—is in his twelfth season with the California Bach Society. A former member of such distinguished ensembles as the Waverly Consort, Theatre of Voices, Pomerium Musices, and the New York Collegium, he brings a wealth of expertise to CBS. Critics have praised Dr. Flight’s conducting acumen, stating: “Flight has made of the choral group a professional ensemble capable of every expressive nuance and glorious ensemble sound.” In addition, he is the artistic director of Schola Cantorum San Francisco, a professional chamber choir, and the founding director of Berkeley-based Chora Nova. For nine years Dr. Flight was principal conductor of the Madison Early Music Festival, where he directed masterworks by Bach, Handel, Telemann, Vivaldi, Purcell, Dufay, and Guerrero. He has twice been a visiting professor of music at the University of California at Berkeley, directing the music department’s top choral ensembles. As a visiting professor at Mills College, he has lectured on opera, and music history and form. He conducted an operatic double-bill production of Gustav Holst’s Savitri and Darius Milhaud’s Les malheurs d’Orphée for Mills College. Dr. Flight received his doctorate from Indiana University, where he studied conducting with Robert Porco. He has recorded a program featuring the music of Croce for Harmonia, a nationally syndicated radio show, and appeared as a guest on KALW radio’s performing arts program My Favorite Things as well as KALW’s Open Air.

A renowned countertenor, Dr. Flight has performed works by John Adams, Leonard Berstein, and Unsuk Chin with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Berkeley Symphony, the Cincinnati May Festival, and the Norwegian State Opera. In 2003 he sang the title role in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten for Oakland Opera Theater. He made his debut at the Kennedy Center in 2008, singing the first countertenor role in Adams’ El Niño, and in August 2010, he made his debut at the Edinburgh International Festival singing the third countertenor role in that work. At California Bach Society’s award winning performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in 2016, Dr. Flight sang the Erbarme Dich aria.

Press contact: Margaret Wootton Phone (650) 387-2100 (press contact only) Email: [email protected]

To download photos, please go to http://www.calbach.org/press/

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