Junior Bach Festival
An all-J. S. Bach concert showcasing some of the most talented young musicians in Northern California. Come hear J. S. Bach’s music played with tremendous skill and youthful exuberance!
Program
CANTATA 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Selene Chen & Tristen Chen, piano (4-hand duet)
FRENCH SUITE: Eb Major (S815) Allemande-Courante-Sarabande-Gavotte-Air-Menuett-Gigue Leo Yoshida, piano
SONATA: G Minor (S1001) Adagio Caitlyn Flexer, violin
ST MATTHEW PASSION (S244) Erbarme dich (Have mercy) Emile Serper, cello
PARTITA: A Minor (S827) Fantasia-Gigue Reina Kimura, piano
SUITE: D Minor (S1008) Prelude Brandon Kang, cello
PRELUDE & FUGUE: D Minor (S875) Amy Zeng, piano
PARTITA: Bb Major (S825) Allemande-Courante-Menuett I, II-Gigue Rebecca Loing, piano
Jesu,Joy of Man’s Desiring (S147) Yuki Kishida and Lisa Yoshida, piano (4-hand duet)
SUITE: C Major (S1009) Prelude-Sarabande-Bourees I&2-Gigue Sara Flexer, cello
ITALIAN CONCERTO (S971) 1st movement Delu Zhao, piano
SONATA: C Major (S1005) Largo-Allegro assai Eunseo Oh, violin
SUITE: E Major (S1006a) Prelude Avi Mushran, guitar
PARTITA: E Major (S1006) Gigue Matthew Sakiyama, violin
CANTATA 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Duet: Mein Freund ist Mein! -Wachet auf! Kairos Youth Choir Laura Kakis Serper, Director
A well-respected Bay Area institution now in its 66th year, the Junior Bach Festival proudly presents a new generation of talented young soloists and ensembles. Through professionally adjudicated auditions, the Festival selects performers under age 21 who are both technically virtuosic and capable of communicating the genius of Bach’s compositional language. Those exceptionally talented students are invited to perform in the Festival’s series of concerts, offered annually around the time of Bach’s birthday (March 21) in venues throughout the Bay Area.
The Festival Association also promotes the appreciation and study of Bach’s music by offering public Workshops. Bach experts are invited to explore topics such as baroque style, ornamentation, ensemble playing, and baroque dance. In recent years, Festival Workshops have also offered students opportunities to try out period instruments like those from Bach’s time. Festival performers also participate in the international organization “Bach in the Subways” by playing their Bach pieces in Downtown Berkeley Bart Station for commuters to enjoy on Bach’s birthday. Throughout the years, many Junior Bach alumni have pursued musical careers both internationally and locally as soloists, chamber musicians, orchestral performers, opera or chorus singers, respected teachers, musicologists, music librarians, and arts managers.
Additional information about the Junior Bach Festival may be found on the Organizations website, juniorbach.org.