Wednesday, November 30
Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra
Regular meeting, for players of recorder, early winds or early strings. Bring your instrument(s) and music stand.
7:30–9:30 PM
Trinity Church, Angus Hall
330 Ravenswood Ave. (at Laurel), Menlo Park
650-591-3648 or mpro-online.org
Thursday, December 1
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Joshua. The story of the Biblical hero is brought to life with Handel’s sense of theater. A trumpet blast brings down the walls of Jericho, the sun and moon stand still, and a jubilant procession of flutes, horns, strings, and drums accompany the famous chorus, “See the conquering hero comes.” The conflict of the battlefield and the victory of the Israelites are set against a romantic subplot in this epic masterpiece. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; William Berger, 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
Friday, December 2
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, Director
“Jul, jul—A Scandinavian Christmas” Our musical travels this holiday season take us to Scandinavia, a region plunged into darkness in winter. Evocative images come to mind-–the forest, the snow, the cold, and especially, the light shining in the darkness. The musical tradition, like the imagery, is romantic, its composers possessing a flair for lyrical melodies and sonorous harmonies. We will present music by composers old and new from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, along with their traditional carols.
8 PM
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
1111 O’Farrell St., San Francisco
Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Tickets: $40 (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, under 30)
650-485-1097, http://www.calbach.org, [email protected]
East Bay Chapter, ARS
Monthly playing session with guest conductor Frances Blaker. New members and guests welcome.
7:30–10 PM
Zion Lutheran Church
5201 Park Blvd., Oakland
http://www.symbolicsolutions.com/ebrs-web2015/index.html
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Joshua. The story of the Biblical hero is brought to life with Handel’s sense of theater. A trumpet blast brings down the walls of Jericho, the sun and moon stand still, and a jubilant procession of flutes, horns, strings, and drums accompany the famous chorus, “See the conquering hero comes.” The conflict of the battlefield and the victory of the Israelites are set against a romantic subplot in this epic masterpiece. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; William Berger, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
7:30 PM
First United Methodist Church
625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto
$27–$108
Tickets online or 415-392-4400
San Francisco Bach Choir, Magen Solomon, Director
“Christmas by Candlelight” Celebrate the holiday season with the San Francisco Bach Choir at our beloved, traditional candlelight concert with the internationally known merry band, The Whole Noyse, and their unusual Renaissance instruments. Bring the whole family for a festive, contemplative, lush, jubilant journey around the world at Christmas. We will offer joyful and meaningful holiday music from many periods and countries — from plainchant to American shape-note hymns, early motets to delightful new works. Selections include compositions by Praetorius, Morales, J.S., Bach, Mendelssohn, and Whitacre, to name just a few. We’ll surround you with music and candlelight for an unforgettable, moving experience that brings audiences to their feet year after year. Let’s raise the roof! Join the choir on the carols, together with handbells, cornettos, sackbuts, and shawms. Purchase your tickets early; these concerts sell out!
7:30 PM
Calvary Presbyterian Church
2515 Fillmore (at Jackson), San Francisco
$35 general, $30 senior (62+), $10 under 30 or students with ID, Youth Free (Advance purchase)
Tickets online or 855-4SF-BACH (855-473-2224)
Stanford Live presents Joyce di Donato and Il Pomo d’Oro
The renowned American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is “the perfect 21st-century diva” said the Los Angeles Times, hailing her “glamour, charisma, intelligence, grace, and remarkable talent.” Indeed, DiDonato’s Drama Queens recording captured the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo. Joined at Bing Concert Hall by the Italian period-instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, she devotes her dramatic power to a program that explores the themes of war and peace in baroque arias by Purcell, Handel, Monteverdi, and others.
7:30 PM
Bing Concert Hall
327 Lasuen St, Stanford
$30–$95
Tickets online 650-724-2464
Saturday, December 3
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, Director
“Jul, jul—A Scandinavian Christmas” Our musical travels this holiday season take us to Scandinavia, a region plunged into darkness in winter. Evocative images come to mind-–the forest, the snow, the cold, and especially, the light shining in the darkness. The musical tradition, like the imagery, is romantic, its composers possessing a flair for lyrical melodies and sonorous harmonies. We will present music by composers old and new from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, along with their traditional carols.
8 PM
All Saints Episcopal Church
555 Waverley St., Palo Alto
Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Tickets: $40 (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, under 30)
650-485-1097, http://www.calbach.org, [email protected]
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Joshua. The story of the Biblical hero is brought to life with Handel’s sense of theater. A trumpet blast brings down the walls of Jericho, the sun and moon stand still, and a jubilant procession of flutes, horns, strings, and drums accompany the famous chorus, “See the conquering hero comes.” The conflict of the battlefield and the victory of the Israelites are set against a romantic subplot in this epic masterpiece. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; William Berger, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
7 PM
First Presbyterian Church
2407 Dana St., Berkeley
$27–$108
Tickets at the church one hour before performance.
Sunday, December 4
Cal Performances presents Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano and Il Pomo d’Oro
“In War and Peace: Harmony Through Music” In the midst of chaos, how do you find peace? Winner of the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Album, the sensational mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sings a program of baroque arias exploring the interwoven worlds of external conflict and serenity and internal war and peace, accompanied by the dynamic young period-instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro. The program includes arias and instrumental works of Handel, Leo, Cavalieri, Purcell, Gesualdo, Jomelli, and Pärt.
3 PM
Zellerbach Hall
University of California, Berkeley
$40 and up
Tickets online or 510-642-9988
California Bach Society, Paul Flight, Director
“Jul, jul—A Scandinavian Christmas” Our musical travels this holiday season take us to Scandinavia, a region plunged into darkness in winter. Evocative images come to mind-–the forest, the snow, the cold, and especially, the light shining in the darkness. The musical tradition, like the imagery, is romantic, its composers possessing a flair for lyrical melodies and sonorous harmonies. We will present music by composers old and new from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, along with their traditional carols.
8 PM
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
2300 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Tickets: $40 (discounts for advance purchase, seniors, students, under 30)
650-485-1097, http://www.calbach.org, [email protected]
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Joshua. The story of the Biblical hero is brought to life with Handel’s sense of theater. A trumpet blast brings down the walls of Jericho, the sun and moon stand still, and a jubilant procession of flutes, horns, strings, and drums accompany the famous chorus, “See the conquering hero comes.” The conflict of the battlefield and the victory of the Israelites are set against a romantic subplot in this epic masterpiece. With soloists Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; William Berger, baritone; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director.
4 PM
Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church
49 Knox Dr., Lafayette
$27–$108
Tickets online or 415-392-4400
San Francisco Bach Choir, Magen Solomon, Director
“Christmas by Candlelight’ Celebrate the holiday season with the San Francisco Bach Choir at our beloved, traditional candlelight concert with the internationally known merry band, The Whole Noyse, and their unusual Renaissance instruments. Bring the whole family for a festive, contemplative, lush, jubilant journey around the world at Christmas. We will offer joyful and meaningful holiday music from many periods and countries — from plainchant to American shape-note hymns, early motets to delightful new works. Selections include compositions by Praetorius, Morales, J.S., Bach, Mendelssohn, and Whitacre, to name just a few. We’ll surround you with music and candlelight for an unforgettable, moving experience that brings audiences to their feet year after year. Let’s raise the roof! Join the choir on the carols, together with handbells, cornettos, sackbuts, and shawms. Purchase your tickets early; these concerts sell out!
7:30 PM
Calvary Presbyterian Church
2515 Fillmore (at Jackson), San Francisco
$35 general, $30 senior (62+), $10 under 30 or students with ID, Youth Free (Advance purchase)
Tickets online or 855-4SF-BACH (855-473-2224)
Continue reading next week’s calendar . . .
