Description

2022 Arizona Bach Festival (Feb. 27-March 19). From Brandenburg Concerto #6 to the innovative saxophonists of Sinta Quartet, this festival celebrates the Music of
Johann Sebastian Bach. Featuring a virtuosic organist, world class Early Music specialists, the Arizona Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra performing glorious concertos of Bach's era and a stunning finale as the saxophonists of Sinta Quartet present the music of Bach in a fresh instrumentation that surely would have delighted the master composer.

Festival passes for all four events as well as single tickets are on sale at arizonabachfestival.org. Student tickets are available at the door for $15 for any concert. The Arizona Bach Festival will also be offering a video option to view all four concerts for $50. Artists participating in the 2022 Festival will each hold free masterclasses with local music students.

Isabelle Demers - Organ Recital
Sunday, February 27, 3:00 p.m.
All Saints' Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door. $15 students

Playing on the wonderful Visser tracker instrument at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Isabelle will be presenting an extremely varied and entertaining program. It will include the Trio Sonata in G major, the Sinfonia from Cantata 146, and the E Flat (St. Anne) Prelude and Fugue along with other exciting works. Isabelle returns to the AZ Bach Festival after receiving rave reviews for her last performance. Born in Canada and a graduate of Julliard, she is now head of the organ department at Baylor University. A stunning recitalist, she is greatly sought after, and we are honored to be presenting her in Phoenix once again.

Geoffrey Burgess & Leon Schelhase - Oboe and Harpsichord
Friday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.
All Saints' Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door. $15 students

Geoffrey Burgess (Eastman School of Music) and Leon Schelhase (Curtis Institute) join forces in this elegant program of Bach Sonatas, Partitas, and Toccatas for oboe and harpsichord. Both superb performers with international fame, they come together for this Phoenix concert; Leon on harpsichord and Geoffrey on Baroque oboe. This is a rare chance to hear this historically important Baroque oboe sound and repertoire. Not to be missed!

Arizona Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra "Glorious Concertos" Conducted by Scott Youngs
Sunday, March 13, 3:00 p.m.
All Saints' Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
Tickets: $40 advance/$45 at the door. $15 students

Arizona Bach Festival strays, for the first time ever, away from Papa Bach and adds his contemporaries: Handel, Albinoni, and Vivaldi. Featuring concertos for harp, oboe, and bassoon, the afternoon also includes Brandenburg Concerto Number 6. The concert comes to an exciting conclusion with Josefien Stoppelenburg singing the Handel “Gloria.” Not much can top that!

Sinta Saxophone Quartet "Saxy Bach"
Saturday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church, 6715 N Mockingbird Ln, Scottsdale
Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door. $15 students

At first blush, it might seem a stretch to include saxophones in a Bach Festival. However, no one recycled Bach more than Bach himself. Transcriptions for every instrument exist and the music takes on new colors, and new magic, but always remains true to Johann Sebastian. These virtuosic musicians show us that the saxophone can be expressive, powerful, and joyful with Bach’s music.