CHORAL ARTS
     Choral Arts Philadelphia will perform “Christmas Vespers from Dresden: Heinrich Schutz’s Christmas Historia,” a dramatic recreation of a Christmas Day Vespers service as it may have occurred in the Court Chapel of the German city of Dresden in 1660. The concert is set for Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m. in the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square.
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The New Year’s Eve performance tops the holiday cheers. This year, Choral Arts presents two masterpieces of the Baroque era. J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, with the Christmas "interpolations," originally included by the composer in Leipzig in 1723 for its first performance. Handel’s four Coronation Anthems, rarely heard all together, will culminate with the audience favorite Zadok the Priest. The tradition of giving a New Year’s Eve concert was born in December 2014, thanks to the resounding success of that year’s experiment with Bach’s rarely heard complete Christmas Oratorio.
 
In its six year of existence, Bach@7 series offers two programs in the Fall and three in Winter-Spring, exploring the idea of “narratives.”  Glandorf has chosen works that tell stories, ranging from actual tales (like the biblical story of Jonah and the Whale in Carissimi’s Jonas, October 10) – to poetic reflections (as in the celebration of love in Song of Solomon in  Bach’s Wedding Cantata BWV 196, November 28) and the Easter plot as depicted in Resurrection Historia by Heinrich Schütz (April 24). Glandorf has built his programming “to afford each performing component of our collective group  – an instrumental ensemble of fine chamber musicians, our fine forces of talented choir and our core of professional singer-soloists – a broader ability to explore the full sound with the combined forces, in contrast to what can be done in a more chamber-like program.”
 
On May 25, to close the season, the ensemble will honor its founder Seán Deibler (1947-2009), marking the 10th anniversary of his death with the Philadelphia premiere of the piano four-hands version of Johannes Brahms’ Requiem, sung in English. According to Glandorf, “this original version was approved by the composer who wanted the message of comfort for those living in grief to be immediate.”
 
“Sean had a profound impact on the choral landscape of Philadelphia as a conductor, teacher and mentor,” said Glandorf. “Choral Arts owes Seán the early success as a symphonic chorus of great ability that performed regularly and recorded with the Philadelphia Orchestra.” On May 25, 2019, for the memorial performance in Deibler’s honor Glandorf chose Brahms' Requiem in a piano four hands sung in English, to become its first performance in Philadelphia. According to Glandorf, “this original version was approved by the composer who wanted the message of comfort for the living in grief to be immediate.”

All Fall and Winter concerts are performed at St. Clement’s Church, 2013 Appletree Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

BACH AT SEVEN SERIES    
When: Wednesdays, 7-8 PM
Admission: Pay-what-you-wish, suggested $25 donation at the door. Post-concert mingles.
  
OCTOBER 10
With Choral Arts Philadelphia, Soloists and the Philadelphia Bach Collegium
Giacomo Carissimi (1605-1674): Jonas
J.S. Bach (1686-1750): Cantata BWV 111 Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit

NOVEMBER 28
With Core Singers of Choral Arts and the Philadelphia Bach Collegium
Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703): Motet Meine Freundin, Du bist schön
J.S. Bach: Double Violin Concerto in D Minor
J.S. Bach: Cantata 196 Der Herr denket an uns

 
NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION
DECEMBER 31 @ 4-6 PM
With Choral Arts Philadelphia, Soloists and the Philadelphia Bach Collegium
J.S. Bach: Magnificat
G.F. Handel: Coronation Anthems
ADMISSION: Ticketed event.
Early Bird special (Save $5) $10-40, before October 1.
Buy tickets online at http://www.choralarts.com/tickets.html
 
Click to View Full Season Schedule

Choral Arts Philadelphia is a premier chamber ensemble of professional and avocational musicians. Under artistic leadership of Matthew Glandorf, inspired by the works of J.S. Bach, the choir presents historically-informed performances, explores new music, and engages the community in innovative ways. In 2008, Glandorf founded The Philadelphia Bach Collegium, a chamber ensemble of period instruments, resident group of the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, which is a project of Choral Arts. Comprising  of the region's finest musicians and scholars, the Collegium specializes in the music of XVII-XVIII centuries. Learn more here or contact us at info@choralarts.com. Leave message at 267.240.2586 (ALTO).
 
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Images and other Media Requests:
Download high resolution images and captions at http://www.choralarts.com/press_photos.html. For more photos, interviews, press tickets, and other press inquiries, please contact Inna Heasley at info@choralarts.com or call 215-280-4824.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2017

Choral Arts Philadelphia Celebrates Third Annual Classical New Year's Eve
With Claudio Monteverdi's Masterwork -- 'Vespers Of 1610'

PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 31, 2017/ NEW YEAR’S EVE: Back by popular demand, Choral Arts Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Bach Collegium, in collaboration with Dark Horse Consort, all led by Artistic Director Matthew Glandorf, invite listeners to the third annual New Year’s Eve celebratory performance. The artists will bid farewell to 2017 with the performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s revolutionary masterpiece, Vespers of 1610, marking the composer’s 450th birthday.

WHO             Choral Arts Philadelphia
                       The Philadelphia Bach Collegium
                       Dark Horse Consort
                       Matthew Glandorf, Artistic Director and Conductor 
           
WHAT            Claudio Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610)
 
WHEN            Sunday, December 31, 4-6 PM, with 15 min intermission
 
WHERE          S. Clement’s Church, 2013 Appletree Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
 
TICKETS       Early Bird: $10-30. As of December 1, 2017: $15-45 
                      Buy online at www.choralarts.com or at the door.
 
INFO            www.choralarts.com| info@choralarts.com | 267-240-2586

In early 2017, while fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting Venice, artistic director Matthew Glandorf paid respects at Monteverdi’s grave in the “I Frari" Church. Realizing that the composer’s 450th anniversary was coming up this year, Glandorf saw it as a perfect opportunity to feature his Vespers, during the liturgical Christmas season of 2017-2018.
 
Considered by many the father of the Baroque movement, Monteverdi (1567-1643) published the lavishly ground breaking Vespers in Venice in 1610. The sister work to Vespers was his first opera, L'Orfeo. This publication, along with a much more conservative Mass for Six Voices, clearly served as a work portfolio, displaying his wide ranging gifts as a composer. Three years later, Monteverdi was offered the post of Maestro di Capella of San Marco Cathedral in Venice, the most prestigious musical job in Italy at that time. 
 
As Glandorf points out, “Monteverdi created a perfectly symmetrical work in which the brilliant contrasts of mood, style and key structure work together to create a truly unique musical and emotional splendor, one that has inspired composers, performers and listeners for over four centuries. It is both grand public music and intimate personal statements juxtaposed side by side. To my mind, it is the first real large scale masterpiece.”
 
The New Year’s Eve performance will be Choral Arts’ third take on the piece and will draw the vocal soloists from its own core of professional singers. The 2017 rendition will be presented in collaboration with Dark Horse Consort, the early music brass ensemble based in San Francisco.

Most recently, Choral Arts presented Vespers in December 2010, in collaboration with Piffaro, The Renaissance Band, in a concert dedicated to the 400th anniversary of its publication.
 
It is most interesting to note that the Vespers music score has survived to this day as a mere set of part books which tell us little about the story of the performance of the work. While the part books do identify the principle instruments (cornetto, sackbut, violin, and continuo instruments of the time), “they don’t tell how, when or in what way they realized the notes on the page,” commented Bob Wiemken, founding artistic director of Piffaro. “Early 17th century notation left many decisions up to the performer, including even what notes to play at times. Thus, the task of bringing this magnificent work to performance requires considerable research, informed decision making and no small amount of imagination.”  
 
Although this is not specifically a "Christmas" piece, Glandorf is convinced that a large scale performance of Vespers, a work dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, would be highly appropriate for a big solemn Feast. He added: “For most of us, there is a bit of a silent pause in our lives as we mark the turning over to a new year. Coming to a New Year’s Eve concert can be a wonderful refreshment to take stock of the old year and look with hope to the year that lies ahead.” 
 
This project is supported by a matching grant from an anonymous donor. 
 
 
Choral Arts Philadelphia is a premier chamber ensemble of professional and avocational musicians. Inspired by the works of J.S. Bach, Choral Arts presents historically informed performances, explores new music, and engages the community in innovative ways. Led by artistic director Matthew Glandorf, Choral Arts, along with its project, the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, and its professional resident instrumental ensemble of period instruments, Philadelphia Bach Collegium, celebrates the life and music of J.S. Bach with programs focused on his works and related repertoire by other composers of all periods. The programs are presented in the traditions of well-researched, historically informed performance practice. For more information, visit choralarts.com.
 
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Graphic design above: GDLOFT

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, the event that led to the formation of the Lutheran church in Germany -- causing a true religious, cultural, and social revolution.

According to Glandorf, "The most famous of Lutheran composers, J.S. Bach was deeply influenced by the Reformation composers Johann Walter, Heinrich Schütz, Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Pachelbel. In turn, Bach’s own music, his Cantatas in particular, had a profound influence on those who came after him, especially Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms, Hugo Distler, and, in our own time and city, Kile Smith. Our season’s lineup will reflect those influences and inspirations.”
 
Choral Arts Philadelphia continues to present the popular Bach at Seven series, monthly mid-week hour-long programs of choral and chamber music. In the series’ fifth year, the repertoire spans five centuries to highlight the composers influenced by the Reformation, including a world premiere by David Carpenter.  A Love So Still (as translated by Carpenter) is set to Dietrich Bonhöffer's poem Von guten Mächten from his “Letters and Papers from Prison.” 
 
On December 31, 2017, the recently established tradition of a New Year’s Eve celebration returns with performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610), which marks the composer's 450th birthday. In 2014 and 2016, the New Year’s Eve performances of J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio were sold out, with the live broadcast of the latest concert on WWFM Classical Music Network.  
 
On March 23, 2018, the organization will hold a special program in memory Michael Korn, the founder of Bach Festival, the Philadelphia Singers, and Chorus America. “Michael was such an innovative figure in Philadelphia's musical life,” – Glandorf said. “In fact, it was his original vision of a performing organization with chorus and orchestra with our region's great musicians to which I wanted to return when I took over as artistic director of the Bach Festival in 2007.”

Korn, the American choral conductor and organ virtuoso, died at the age of 44 in Philadelphia. His tribute will feature the music of J.S. Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, including motet Jesu, mine Freude, which the disbanded Philadelphia Singers choir sang on numerous occasions. The concert takes place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill, where Korn has launched the Bach Festival 40 years ago.
 
Bach at Seven Series: Fall 2017   
When: Third Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m.
Where: St. Clement’s Church, 2013 Appletree Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Admission: Pay what you wish, with $25/person suggested contribution paid at the door.
No tickets. Open seating. All ages welcome. Post-concert reception with performers.
 
September 20 – Philadelphia Bach Collegium
J.S. Bach: Mentors, Colleagues and Students
Chamber music by Georg Böhm, Dietrich Buxtehude, Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann Ludwig Krebs, J.S. Bach
With the Philadelphia Bach Collegium 
 
October 18 – Choral Arts Philadelphia/ Philadelphia Bach Collegium
Heinrich Schütz: Musikalische Exequien
J.S. Bach: Motet BWV 228 Fürchte dich nicht
Knut Nystedt (1915-2014): Immortal Bach
 
November 15 - Choral Arts Philadelphia/ Philadelphia Bach Collegium
J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 79 Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild
David Carpenter (b. 1972): A Love So Still (Von guten Mächten), World Premiere
Other sacred choral works from XVI-XX centuries, inspired by the Lutheran Reformation
 
Claudio Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610)
When: New Year's Eve, Sunday, December 31, 2017, at 4 p.m.
Where: S. Clement’s Church, 2013 Appletree Street, Philadelphia
Admission: Early bird: $10-30 ($15-45 after November 30). Buy online at www.choralarts.com or at the door.
 
Tribute to Michael Korn
When: Friday, March 23, 2018 at 7 p.m.
Where: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 22 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., Philadelphia
Admission: Ticket sales TBA. Buy online at www.choralarts.com or at the door.
 
More Information: www.choralarts.com, email info@choralarts.com or call 267-240-ALTO (2586).
Full Season at a Glance: http://www.choralarts.com/season-at-a-glance.html

 
Choral Arts Philadelphia is a premier chamber ensemble of professional and avocational musicians. Inspired by the works of J.S. Bach, the choir presents historically informed performances, explores new music, and engages the community in innovative ways. The Bach Festival of Philadelphia is a project of Choral Arts Philadelphia.
 
The Philadelphia Bach Collegium was founded in 2008 by artistic director Matthew Glandorf, and is a chamber ensemble of period instruments, resident of the Bach Festival of Philadelphia. Comprising the region’s finest musicians and scholars, the Collegium specializes in the music of XVII-XVIII centuries.

Learn more at ChoralArts.com, contact info@choralarts.com or (267) 240-2586.

Social Media tags:
#ChoralArtsPhila
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#BachFestPhila
#BachAtSeven
#BachCantatasPhila

 

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snapshot of the Master’s weekly cantata output during just one year of his service as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany. The 2017 portion will offer five programs – three in February, and two in April – with ten surviving cantatas from the 1734-35 liturgical season. All of these cantatas were either freshly composed or “recycled” from earlier material and, according to Glandorf, exhibit “fascinating diversity and creativity of Bach’s writing.”
 
The February and April programs feature guest speakers who are highly regarded and well-known among Bach music lovers, scholars, authors, and players worldwide: Dr. Michael Marissen (Swarthmore College), Dr. Steven Zohn (Temple University, also a leading flauto traverso soloist in the series), and Dr. Ellen T. Charry (Princeton Theological Seminary), in addition to Matthew Glandorf (The Curtis Institute of Music). Each brief talk, given between the two programmed cantatas, will offer thought-provoking topics supported by infrequently presented well-researched material, relating the Master’s daily life, work, music, and philosophical views to our lives today.
 
“This rare opportunity to experience a ‘year in the life’ of Bach shines a new light on both the individual cantatas and the entire repertory of eighteen works,” said Steven Zohn, guest speaker on February 8. “We marvel not just at the beauty and ingenuity of the arias and choruses, but also at how older works relate to newer ones. The project allows performers and listeners alike to feel a kinship with Bach, his musicians, and his congregations in a way that is possible only with this type of rich contextualization.”
 
“We have observed that there is a strong desire and need in our community for the message of Bach's music,” Matthew Glandorf commented. “Joy and sorrow, victory and loss, intimacy and longing – these are the themes that permeate the cantatas, and, despite the fact that they are products of their time, the music continues to ring through the centuries.” 
 
Major support for 1734-1735: A Season In The Life of J.S. Bach has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
 
“1734-1735: A Season In The Life of J.S. Bach”
 
When:            Wednesdays, 7-8 pm, with post-concert reception
Where:           S. Clement’s Church, 2013 Appletree Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Admission:    Pay-What-You-Wish, $20 suggested donation per person at the door.
                        Open seating, no ticket sales. 
Information: www.choralarts.com | info@choralarts.com | 267-240-ALTO (2586).
 
WINTER 2017 – Epiphany Season

Program 5 - February 1
BWV 82 Ich habe genug (I have enough), for solo bass
BWV 125 Mit Fried und Freudfahr ich fahr dahin (With Peace and Joy I Depart), for solo quartet
Talk: “J.S. Bach as Religious Thinker” by Dr. Michael Marissen
 
Program 6 - February 8
BWV 66 Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen (Rejoice your hearts)
BWV 134 Ein Herz, dass seinen Jesum lebend weiss (A Heart Knows that Jesus is Living)
Talk: “Cantatas in the J.S. Bach Circle” by Dr. Steven Zohn
 
Program 7 - February 15
BWV 14 Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit (Were God not with us)
BWV 147 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and Mouth Deed and Life)
Talk: “The power of Bach’s Cantatas” by Matthew Glandorf
 
SPRING 2017 – Eastertide & Ascension

Program 8 - April 19
BWV 6 Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden (Stay with us)
BWV 238 Sanctus in D
BWV 68 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt (God so loved the World)
Talk: “Bach as Choir Director” by Matthew Glandorf
 
Program 9 - April 26 
BWV 215 Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen (Praise your Good Fortune)
BWV 11 Ascension Oratorio - Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Praise God in His Riches)
Talk: “Bach’s Theology” by Dr. Ellen T. Charry
 
Choral Arts Philadelphia is the City’s premier 40-voice chamber chorus, consisting of a core of professional singers mixed with highly experienced volunteer members. The ensemble presents concert experiences that delight and engage the audiences while contributing to their appreciation of the repertoire. Led by artistic director Matthew Glandorf, Choral Arts Philadelphia is committed to musical excellence and to furthering the great tradition of choral music. Choral Arts and its project, the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, along with its professional resident ensemble of period instruments, the Philadelphia Bach Collegium, celebrate the life and music of J.S. Bach with programs focused on his works and related repertoire, presented in the traditions of well-researched, historically informed performance practice. Contact info@choralarts.com or (267) 240-2586. Website: http://www.choralarts.com/

RELATED LINKS
Press Release (October 2016)
“Choral Arts Philadelphia launches unprecedented 1734-1724: A Season in the life of J.S. Bach series”  
 
Preview Video (YouTube, 2:36 min)
 
The Center’s Press Release announcing the 2016 grants in Philadelphia

About the series and full schedule 
 
What is a Cantata, Anyway?  Blog post by Matthew Glandorf

What is Historically Informed Performance Practice? Blog post by Matthew Glandorf

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook Choral Arts Philadelphia: https://www.facebook.com/ChoralArtsPhiladelphia/
Facebook The Bach Festival of Philadelphia: https://www.facebook.com/BachFestPhila/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChoralArtsPhila
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/choral-arts-philadelphia
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ChoralArtsPhila
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/choralartsphiladelphia/

Since 2013, Glandorf has introduced many Philadelphians to myriad rarely heard and well-known Bach cantatas as part of the popular Bach At Seven Cantata Series. In the current season, Choral Arts has embarked to perform all of Bach’s surviving works from his most creative time at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig as part of the 1734-1735: A Season in the Life of Bach series. On the New Year’s Eve 2016, the ensemble will bring, for the second time since 2014, one of J.S. Bach’s lesser known yet monumental works, appropriate for the Season.   
 
Compiled and premiered in Leipzig during the major Feast Days of Christmastide 1734, Christmas Oratorio is a natural addition to Choral Arts’ season lineup. In addition, Glandorf reveals, “a generous supporter was so taken with our premiere performance in 2014 that he came forward and offered a challenge grant to have the event repeated in 2016.”
 
Christmas Oratorio is, in actuality, a collection of six cantatas, that together present a continuing narrative of the Christmas story as told in the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke and St. John. It ranks along with the two great Passions, St. John and St. Matthew, in drama, inventiveness and beauty, according to Glandorf.
 
However, it’s rarely heard complete, at least in the United States, due to many programming challenges for any musical organization. Since the six cantatas of the Oratorio were originally performed one per day, the instrumentation is different for each one of them. Additionally, the work has particularly virtuosic choral and solo writing, making the piece inaccessible to many choirs. “Although it would be a challenge for us trying to perform it every year,” Glandorf said, “I like the idea that it could become a regular piece of repertoire for Choral Arts.”

All solo and duet parts will be sung by the professional core members of Choral Arts, with tenor James Reese as Evangelist (The Crossing, Holy Trinity Bach Vespers, Chicago Bach Project).

“I find the idea of a New Year’s Eve concert, post Christmas Day, a lovely way to ‘begin afresh’.” Glandorf commented. “It is a real pleasure to offer an event that can defy traditional patterns and find a foothold in our city’s diverse cultural landscape.”

What:           J.S. Bach “Christmas Oratorio” BWV 248, in six parts
When:           Saturday, December 31, 4-8 PM
                                    4:00 PM: Parts I-III
                                    5:30PM: Intermission, with food and drink concessions
                                    6:30PM: Parts IV-VI
Where:      Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 38th & Chestnut Streets, 19104
Tickets:     Early bird: $10-30 ($15-45 after November 30). Buy online at www.choralarts.com or at the door. Direct link to buy online.
Info:           www.choralarts.com, info@choralarts.com or 267-240-ALTO (2586).
 
Choral Arts Philadelphia is premier 40-voice chamber chorus consisting of a core of professional singers mixed with highly experienced volunteer members. The ensemble presents high quality yet accessible concert experiences that delight and engage the audiences while contributing to their appreciation of the repertoire. Led by artistic director Matthew Glandorf, Choral Arts Philadelphia is committed to musical excellence and to furthering the great tradition of choral music. Choral Arts and its project, the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, along with its professional resident instrumental ensemble of period instruments, the Philadelphia Bach Collegium, celebrate the life and music of J.S. Bach with programs focused on his works and related repertoire, presented in the traditions of well-researched, historically informed performance practice. Contact info@choralarts.com or (267) 240-2586, online at www.choralarts.com and  www.bachfestphila.org

RELATED LINKS:
Live video recording: Christmas Oratorio's opening movement, New Year's Eve 2014 (7:32 min) 
Interview: Three questions to Matt Glandorf ahead of the Christmas Oratorio 2016 Encore Performance
Guest blog: Tenor James Reese reflecting on singing the part of Evangelist (coming soon)
Introduction video: Meet host Marvin Rosen (coming soon)

Program notes: 

Since 2013, Glandorf has introduced many Philadelphians to myriad rarely heard and well-known Bach cantatas as part of the popular Bach At Seven Cantata Series. In the current season, Choral Arts has embarked to perform all of Bach’s surviving works from his most creative time at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig as part of the 1734-1735: A Season in the Life of Bach series. On the New Year’s Eve 2016, the ensemble will bring, for the second time since 2014, one of J.S. Bach’s lesser known yet monumental works, appropriate for the Season.   
 
Compiled and premiered in Leipzig during the major Feast Days of Christmastide 1734, Christmas Oratorio is a natural addition to Choral Arts’ season lineup. In addition, Glandorf reveals, “a generous supporter was so taken with our premiere performance in 2014 that he came forward and offered a challenge grant to have the event repeated in 2016.”
 
Christmas Oratorio is, in actuality, a collection of six cantatas, that together present a continuing narrative of the Christmas story as told in the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke and St. John. It ranks along with the two great Passions, St. John and St. Matthew, in drama, inventiveness and beauty, according to Glandorf.
 
However, it’s rarely heard complete, at least in the United States, due to many programming challenges for any musical organization. Since the six cantatas of the Oratorio were originally performed one per day, the instrumentation is different for each one of them. Additionally, the work has particularly virtuosic choral and solo writing, making the piece inaccessible to many choirs. “Although it would be a challenge for us trying to perform it every year,” Glandorf said, “I like the idea that it could become a regular piece of repertoire for Choral Arts.”

All solo and duet parts will be sung by the professional core members of Choral Arts, with tenor James Reese as Evangelist (The Crossing, Holy Trinity Bach Vespers, Chicago Bach Project).

“I find the idea of a New Year’s Eve concert, post Christmas Day, a lovely way to ‘begin afresh’.” Glandorf commented. “It is a real pleasure to offer an event that can defy traditional patterns and find a foothold in our city’s diverse cultural landscape.”

What:           J.S. Bach “Christmas Oratorio” BWV 248, in six parts
When:           Saturday, December 31, 4-8 PM
                                    4:00 PM: Parts I-III
                                    5:30PM: Intermission, food and drink concessions
                                    6:30PM: Parts IV-VI
Where:         Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 38th & Chestnut Streets, 19104
Tickets:        Early Bird: $10-30 ($15-45 after November 30).
                       Buy online at www.choralarts.com or at the door. Direct link to ticket sales page. 
Info:             www.choralarts.com, info@choralarts.com or 267-240-ALTO (2586).

 
RELATED LINKS (coming soon): 
Live concert video: Christmas Oratorio's opening movement, New Year's Eve 2014 performance (7:32 min)
Blog post: Three questions to Matthew Glandorf ahead of the Oratorio 2016
Guest Blogger: Tenor James Reese reflecting on singing the Evangelist 
Intro video: Interview with host Marvin Rosen
 
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:  
Facebook Choral Arts: https://www.facebook.com/ChoralArtsPhiladelphia/
Facebook Bach Festival: https://www.facebook.com/BachFestPhila/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChoralArtsPhila
SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/choral-arts-philadelphia
Twitter  https://twitter.com/ChoralArtsPhila
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/choralartsphiladelphia/
 
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