• Sumptuous Hors d’oeuvres and Dinner by Delicious! Inc
• Musical Entertainment by American Bach Soloists
• Unique and Exciting Live and Silent Auction Items

If you love the music of ABS, you will not want to miss this Event!

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From Dublin to the theatres of London, Handel’s Messiah had captivated and intrigued audiences by its near-operatic qualities. But when Handel inaugurated annual benefit performances in London’s Foundling Hospital “for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children,” the world’s favorite oratorio took hold of its permanent place in the hearts of audiences, then in London and now throughout the world. Jeffrey Thomas leads America’s “best specialists in early music” including a splendid vocal quartet of Handel specialists in performances that have been treasured by Northern California audiences for more than a decade.

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Bach composed his towering masterwork, the great Mass in B Minor, as a testament to and a summation of his supreme compositional art. To this day, it remains the pinnacle of exemplifications of Baroque music. Its monumental Kyrie fugue, sensational and awe-inspiring trumpet fanfares, and stunningly complex choruses have garnered cult-like followers and entire music festivals built around the performance of this most hallowed masterpiece. Maestro Thomas, the American Bach Soloists, the American Bach Choir, and five brilliant soloists have chosen this magnum opus to begin their 20th season of subscription concerts.

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Since the very first concert by American Bach Soloists nearly twenty years ago, Elizabeth Blumenstock’s “powerful intensity and passion” (San Francisco Classical Voice) has led the ensemble in countless performances. Music Director Jeffrey Thomas describes her artistry and unsurpassed technical brilliance as “a force of nature” and her audiences consistently agree. The Washington Post praises her “vividly authentic approach with phrasing of riveting thoughtfulness and depth,” and the Los Angeles Times acclaims her “energetically elegant musicality.” There is no better choice for a 20th Anniversary Solo Concert than this most acclaimed and in-demand American baroque violinist. Ms. Blumenstock will perform one of Bach’s notoriously demanding Solo Sonatas, along with bravura works by the preeminent virtuosos of the 17th century including Biber’s Rosary Sonatas and Corelli’s “La Follia” variations.

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No music gives clearer portrayals of Bach’s spiritual essence and soul than his treasured cantatas. Written for performance within the Lutheran rite, each one presents philosophical ideals through the contexts of musical expression. To celebrate two decades of ABS’ dedication to these beautiful and moving mini-dramas, the works chosen for this program were selected by American Bach Soloists audiences: four favorite cantatas will be performed—one musician per part—with ABS’ renowned attention to clarity and detail. Baritone William Sharp, one of America’s most distinguished Bach vocalists and praised by The New York Times as a “sensitive and subtle singer,” will be featured in Bach’s exquisite solo cantata, Ich habe genug.

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George Frideric Handel’s life has been celebrated for centuries by countless performers and devotees of his unsurpassed musical legacy. In 1784, twenty-five years after his death, the first of many spectacular commemorations was produced in Westminster Abbey. In the style of that famed event, American Bach Soloists and Grace Cathedral will collaborate in a pair of performances that will feature some of Handel’s finest choral works along with his most famous “Water Music” and “Music for the Royal Fireworks.” Tickets are not yet available, but subscribers will receive first notice and special discounts.

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