Tuesday, December 1
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
Wednesday, December 2
Farley Pearce, viola da gamba 
Stillpoint Series of the Community Concerts presents Farley Pearce performing a brief concert of music for unaccompanied viola da gamba, featuring of music by Georg Philipp Telemann, Christopher Simpson, and Carl Friedrich Abel. 7 PM Epworth United Methodist Church 1953 Hopkins St., Berkeley Free
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor 
“Hail, Bright Cecilia—Handel and Purcell” The two giants of English baroque music, George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell, composed their praise of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Philharmonia’s December concert includes Purcell’s Te Deum and Jubilate in D, first performed in 1694, and Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, written about forty years later. In addition we have an extract from Alexander’s Feast, also a work in the saint’s praise, not part of the Dryden poem but a duet in Italian that was given at the premiere. With soloists Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Isaiah Bell, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
7:30 PM First United Methodist Church 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto $25–$105 Tickets, 415-392-4400
Friday, December 4
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, conductor 
“Joyeux Noël! A French Christmas” Artistic Director Paul Flight and the 30-voice California Bach Society perform a program of French seasonal music, spanning the centuries, from Gregorian chant and a 14th-century mass, to Mouton’s “Noe, noe, psallite” and Charpentier’s charming Christmas noëls, to Berlioz’s evocative “Shepherd’s Farewell,” and to 20th-century Francis Poulenc’s motets for Christmas and modern variations on traditional French carols. In addition, we will present an example of French organ noëls, played by the resident organist at each venue: Reiko Oda Lane (First Unitarian, San Francisco), Rodney Gehrke (All Saints’, Palo Alto), and George Emblom (St. Mark’s, Berkeley). Read more about the program . . .
8 PM First Unitarian Universalist Church 1187 Franklin St., San Francisco Tickets, $33 or less (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, and under 30) SFEMS members receive a $5 discount on the advance purchase price when using promotion code “SFEMS” until 5 PM on Thursday, December 3. Order by phone at 650-485-1097 or online at www.calbach.org/tickets.pl.
East Bay Chapter, ARS 
Monthly playing session with guest conductor Letitia Berlin. New members and guests welcome.
7:30–10 PM Zion Lutheran Church 5201 Park Blvd., Oakland. www.symbolicsolutions.com/ebrs/
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor “Hail, Bright Cecilia—Handel and Purcell” The two giants of English baroque music, George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell, composed their praise of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Philharmonia’s December concert includes Purcell’s Te Deum and Jubilate in D, first performed in 1694, and Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, written about forty years later. In addition we have an extract from Alexander’s Feast, also a work in the saint’s praise, not part of the Dryden poem but a duet in Italian that was given at the premiere. With soloists Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Isaiah Bell, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
8 PM Herbst Theatre 401 Van Ness Ave, San 401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco $25–$105 Tickets 415-392-4400
San Francisco Bach Choir, Magen Solomon, Artistic Director 
“Christmas by Candlelight” Welcome the holiday season with our beloved, traditional candlelight concert with the ever-popular merry band The Whole Noyse and their bag of Renaissance instruments. Contemplative, lush, mystical, jubilant: sing Christmas music from many periods and countries—from Bach chorales to American shape-note hymns, early motets to brand-new creations.
7:30 PM Calvary Presbyterian Church Fillmore and Jackson Sts., San Francisco $10–$35 855-4SFBACH (855-473-2224)
Saturday, December 5
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, conductor “Joyeux Noël! A French Christmas” Artistic Director Paul Flight and the 30-voice California Bach Society perform a program of French seasonal music, spanning the centuries, from Gregorian chant and a 14th-century mass, to Mouton’s “Noe, noe, psallite” and Charpentier’s charming Christmas noëls, to Berlioz’s evocative “Shepherd’s Farewell,” and to 20th-century Francis Poulenc’s motets for Christmas and modern variations on traditional French carols. In addition, we will present an example of French organ noëls, played by the resident organist at each venue: Reiko Oda Lane (First Unitarian, San Francisco), Rodney Gehrke (All Saints’, Palo Alto), and George Emblom (St. Mark’s, Berkeley). Read more about the program . . .
8 PM All Saints’ Episcopal Church 555 Waverly, Palo Alto Tickets, $33 or less (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, and under 30) SFEMS members receive a $5 discount on the advance purchase price when using promotion code “SFEMS” until 5 PM on Thursday, December 3. Order by phone at 650-485-1097 or online at www.calbach.org/tickets.pl.
Mid Peninsula Recorder Orchestra, Frederic Palmer, Director 
The Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra performs its annual mid-winter concert. The program will feature an antiphonal canzona by Giovanni Gabrieli, a movement from Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 4, The Liberty Bell March by John Philip Sousa, a medieval motet by Oswald von Wolkenstein and a suite by Johann Philipp Krieger. The location of this concert is wheelchair accessible. The Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra is an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society.
7:30 PM Grace Lutheran Church 3149 Waverley Street, Palo Alto For further information please see the orchestra’s web page at http://mpro-online.org/ or call Frederic Palmer at 650-591-3648.
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor “Hail, Bright Cecilia—Handel and Purcell” The two giants of English baroque music, George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell, composed their praise of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Philharmonia’s December concert includes Purcell’s Te Deum and Jubilate in D, first performed in 1694, and Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, written about forty years later. In addition we have an extract from Alexander’s Feast, also a work in the saint’s praise, not part of the Dryden poem but a duet in Italian that was given at the premiere. With soloists Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Isaiah Bell, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
8 PM First Congregational Church Dana and Durant Streets, Berkeley $25–$105 Tickets: 415-392-4400
Sunday, December 6
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, conductor “Joyeux Noël! A French Christmas” Artistic Director Paul Flight and the 30-voice California Bach Society perform a program of French seasonal music, spanning the centuries, from Gregorian chant and a 14th-century mass, to Mouton’s “Noe, noe, psallite” and Charpentier’s charming Christmas noëls, to Berlioz’s evocative “Shepherd’s Farewell,” and to 20th-century Francis Poulenc’s motets for Christmas and modern variations on traditional French carols. In addition, we will present an example of French organ noëls, played by the resident organist at each venue: Reiko Oda Lane (First Unitarian, San Francisco), Rodney Gehrke (All Saints’, Palo Alto), and George Emblom (St. Mark’s, Berkeley). Read more about the program . . .
4 PM St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2300 Bancroft Way, Berkeley Tickets, $33 or less (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, and under 30) SFEMS members receive a $5 discount on the advance purchase price when using promotion code “SFEMS” until 5 PM on Thursday, December 3. Order by phone at 650-485-1097 or online at www.calbach.org/tickets.pl.
Festival Consort 
“A Renaissance Christmas” Petaluma Museum Association presents The Festival Consort, founded in 1976 by Joanna Bramel Young and Lyn Elder, will be performing its acclaimed concert ‘Renaissance Glory.’ Beloved vocalists Carol Menke, soprano, and Chris Fritzsche, countertenor, join the four accomplished instrumentalists – director David Hogan Smith, Joanna Bramel Young, Alan Paul, and Robert Cronin for an afternoon of traditional carols and other works by traditional composers.
3 PM Petaluma Historical Museum 20 Fourth Street, Petaluma $20–25 Tickets 707-778-4398 More information
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor “Hail, Bright Cecilia—Handel and Purcell” The two giants of English baroque music, George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell, composed their praise of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Philharmonia’s December concert includes Purcell’s Te Deum and Jubilate in D, first performed in 1694, and Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, written about forty years later. In addition we have an extract from Alexander’s Feast, also a work in the saint’s praise, not part of the Dryden poem but a duet in Italian that was given at the premiere. With soloists Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Isaiah Bell, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
4 PM First Congregational Church Dana and Durant Streets, Berkeley $25–$105 Tickets: 415-392-4400
San Francisco Bach Choir, Magen Solomon, Artistic Director “Christmas by Candlelight” Welcome the holiday season with our beloved, traditional candlelight concert with the ever-popular merry band The Whole Noyse and their bag of Renaissance instruments. Contemplative, lush, mystical, jubilant: sing Christmas music from many periods and countries—from Bach chorales to American shape-note hymns, early motets to brand-new creations.
4 PM Calvary Presbyterian Church Fillmore and Jackson Sts., San Francisco $10–$35 855-4SFBACH (855-473-2224)
Continue reading next week’s calendar . . .
