Tuesday, December 5
Sacramento Recorder Society
Regular meeting for recorder players, with guest conductor Jerry Schwartz. Newcomers welcome. Bring recorders, stand, and other early instruments. Music provided. Refreshments.
6:45–9:30 PM
Friends Meeting House
890 57th St., between H and J, Sacramento.
sacrecorders.wordpress.com
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Master Class in voice with Diana Moore. Noted for her “thrilling technical bravura” by Gramophone, mezzo-soprano Diana Moore has performed at the world’s leading music venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Barbican Centre, and Royal Albert Hall. An expert in baroque technique and style (but not confined to it), she is one of the most sought-after singers of the tradition, performing oratorios, operas, and other works by the masters of the era. The class will focus on Handel arias from Rodelinda, including “Lo farò,” “Un zeffiro spirò,” and “Vivi, tiranno.” Performers will include Kaitlin Bertschi, mezzo-soprano; Dajeong Song, mezzo-soprano; Matheus Coura, countertenor; and Corey Jamason, harpsichord.
7:30 PM
Osher Salon
50 Oak Street, San Francisco
Free, no tickets or reservations required
Friday, December 8
Old First Concerts presents Gaude, Jace Wittig, Director
Choral Christmas works by Gabrieli, Victoria, Poulenc, Howells, Willan, and Rachmaninoff, along with lively Villancicos by composers from Old and New Spain, and arrangements of familiar carols. Gaude is a professional, a cappella chamber ensemble based in San Francisco, directed by Jace Wittig (former Interim Director of the Grammy Award-winning ensemble, Chanticleer), Gaude presents choral masterpieces from the Renaissance and beyond in intimate settings with modern sensibility. This performance will include choral Christmas works, including Gabrieli’s Magnificat, Victoria’s O magnum mysterium, Poulenc’s Videntes stellam, Howells’s A Spotless Rose, Willan’s The Three Kings, and excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil, along with lively Villancicos by composers from Old and New Spain, and arrangements of familiar carols.
8 PM
Old First Church
1751 Sacramento St., San Francisco
$5–$23
Tickets online, 415-474-1608 or https://www.oldfirstconcerts.org/contact-us/
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Messiah, HWV 56. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano; James Reese, tenor; Philip Cutlip, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
7 PM
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
$27–$108
Tickets online or 415-392-4400
Saturday, December 9
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Messiah, HWV 56. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano; James Reese, tenor; Philip Cutlip, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
7 PM
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley
$27–$108
Tickets online or 415-392-4400
San Francisco Choral Artists, Magen Solomon, Director
“A Rebel’s Christmas: Martin Luther’s Musical Reformation” Why should the devil get all the good tunes? Even if Luther didn’t say this, he was on to something, since he borrowed and reshaped many fine secular songs and Catholic chants into Protestant hymns. This concert will dig up roots of beloved church tunes, follow them into the 21st century, and examine how one man changed the course of music. Explore this transformation as wrought by Bach, Brahms, Distler, Handl, Mendelssohn, Praetorius, and Walther, with guidance, spiritual and otherwise, from our “guest monk,” narrator Stephen Wilson. The program includes chances to sing along with SFCA on popular Lutheran tunes, including “Von Himmel Hoch” and “Joseph lieber.” Trace the evolution of these tunes across five centuries, all the way to present-day works; the Choral Artists will premiere pieces by Composer-in-Residence Michael Kaulkin, Composer-Not-in-Residence Sylke Zimpel, and New Voices Project winner Ash Stemke. Narrator and historian Stephen Wilson will weave a tale through this unusual program.
8 PM
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto
$12.50 to $33
Tickets online or 415-494-8149
Tactus, Tanmoy Lasker, Director
“Longing & Remembrance” Music is an uninhibited expression of the loves, desires, and agony of the soul—a medium to communicate passion and angst when words alone are insufficient to convey depth of emotion. Our souls, of course, are fashioned by our Lives — lives in turn that are built by Experiences, and experiences that are immortalized in Memories. Tactus weaves a tale of Longing and Remembrance through Renaissance polyphony this Advent season, with motets from Byrd and Tallis to Guerrero and Victoria. Travel with Tactus through Time and Memory, dwelling both in the past and present: of apple carts in bustling market places, of fountains in spring time, of turtle doves in fig trees, and of electric energy in an atmosphere charged with anticipation and change.
8 PM Reception follows
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
3281 16th Street, San Francisco
$15
Tickets online at Eventbrite and at the door
Concert program at www.tactus-sf.org
Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble, Mitchell Covington, Artistic Director
“Rejoice! Rejoice!” A concert of sacred Renaissance and baroque masterworks, featuring works by Bach, Porpora, Hasse, Charpentier, Cozzolani, Vivaldi and Victoria. In keeping with Voci’s commitment to music written for, or by, women, all of the works performed in this concert were originally written for women’s voices. The concerts will feature a rare presentation of Nicola Porpora’s inspiring work, Laetatus sum, a work we believe has never been performed in the United States. Porpora wrote this text for the women of Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà. With guest artist MacKenzie Covington, soprano, and the Jubilate Baroque Orchestra.
2 PM
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
114 Montecito Ave., Oakland
$30 at the door; $25 in advance; $15 students
[email protected] or 510-531-8714
Additional information at www.vocisings.org
Sunday, December 10
Chanticleer
“A Chanticleer Christmas” The 12-member a cappella vocal ensemble performs seasonal works old, new, and familiar. The program follows the journey of the wise men, across the ages and the world. Fellow pilgrims are a motley group of shepherds and onlookers–Welsh, Huron, Indian, English, Americans of all origins–reveling in the wonder, joy, and peace that the Christmas story brings. Candle-lit Gregorian chant gives way to music by Morales, Gonzalez, Victoria, Poulenc, Sweelinck, and traditional carols, gospel and spirituals..
6 PM
Cathedral of Christ the Light
2121 Harrison Street, Oakland
$35–$75 Student and senior discounts available.
Tickets online
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Messiah, HWV 56. HWV 56. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Diana Moore, mezzo-soprano; James Reese, tenor; Philip Cutlip, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
3 PM
Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park
Tickets start at $50.
Tickets online, 866-955-6040, or tic[email protected]
San Francisco Choral Artists, Magen Solomon, Director
“A Rebel’s Christmas: Martin Luther’s Musical Reformation” Why should the devil get all the good tunes? Even if Luther didn’t say this, he was on to something, since he borrowed and reshaped many fine secular songs and Catholic chants into Protestant hymns. This concert will dig up roots of beloved church tunes, follow them into the 21st century, and examine how one man changed the course of music. Explore this transformation as wrought by Bach, Brahms, Distler, Handl, Mendelssohn, Praetorius, and Walther, with guidance, spiritual and otherwise, from our “guest monk,” narrator Stephen Wilson. The program includes chances to sing along with SFCA on popular Lutheran tunes, including “Von Himmel Hoch” and “Joseph lieber.” Trace the evolution of these tunes across five centuries, all the way to present-day works; the Choral Artists will premiere pieces by Composer-in-Residence Michael Kaulkin, Composer-Not-in-Residence Sylke Zimpel, and New Voices Project winner Ash Stemke. Narrator and historian Stephen Wilson will weave a tale through this unusual program.
4 PM
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
114 Montecito Ave., Oakland
$12.50 to $33
Tickets online or 415-494-8149
Tactus, Tanmoy Lasker, Director
“Longing & Remembrance” Music is an uninhibited expression of the loves, desires, and agony of the soul—a medium to communicate passion and angst when words alone are insufficient to convey depth of emotion. Our souls, of course, are fashioned by our Lives — lives in turn that are built by Experiences, and experiences that are immortalized in Memories. Tactus weaves a tale of Longing and Remembrance through Renaissance polyphony this Advent season, with motets from Byrd and Tallis to Guerrero and Victoria. Travel with Tactus through Time and Memory, dwelling both in the past and present: of apple carts in bustling market places, of fountains in spring time, of turtle doves in fig trees, and of electric energy in an atmosphere charged with anticipation and change.
3 PM Reception follows
St. Jerome’s Catholic Church
308 Carmel Ave., El Cerrito
$15
Tickets online at Eventbrite and at the door
Concert program at www.tactus-sf.org
Valley of the Moon Music Festival, Tanya Tomkins, Artistic Director
#SonomaStrong Benefit Concert. The transformative power of music brings hope and meaning to our lives, connects us to the best side of humanity, and creates community through beauty and expression. Festival artists Chris Whitley and Kumiko Sakamoto, violin; Cynthia Black, viola; Tanya Tomkins and Laura Gaynon, cello; and Eric Zivian, fortepiano, perform selections from Schubert’s iconic Cello Quintet, Mendelssohn C Minor Piano Trio, and more wonderful chamber music on historical instruments. Join musicians of the Valley of the Moon Music Festival to rebuild Sonoma County after the devastating wildfires. They offer this concert ENTIRELY BY DONATION. 100% of proceeds will go directly to the Resilience Fund at Community Foundation Sonoma County. Donations also accepted at the door, but pre-event “ticket” donations will allow us to seat everyone more quickly. No one will be turned away for lack of means. If you are a first responder or have lost your home and would like to attend, please email [email protected] to let them know youre coming. After the performance, join the musicians for a wine reception generously hosted by Kivelstadt Cellars.
4 PM
Hanna Boys Center
17000 Arnold Dr, Sonoma
DONATION requested. No one turned away for lack of funds
[email protected]
Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble, Mitchell Covington, Artistic Director
“Rejoice! Rejoice!” A concert of sacred Renaissance and baroque masterworks, featuring works by Bach, Porpora, Hasse, Charpentier, Cozzolani, Vivaldi and Victoria. In keeping with Voci’s commitment to music written for, or by, women, all of the works performed in this concert were originally written for women’s voices. The concerts will feature a rare presentation of Nicola Porpora’s inspiring work, Laetatus sum, a work we believe has never been performed in the United States. Porpora wrote this text for the women of Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà. With guest artist MacKenzie Covington, soprano, and the Jubilate Baroque Orchestra.
7:30 PM
St. Mary Magdalen Church
2005 Berryman St., Berkeley
$30 at the door; $25 in advance; $15 students
[email protected] or 510-531-8714
Additional information at www.vocisings.org
Continue reading next week’s calendar . . .
