Carmel Bach Festival
July 14-28, 2012
This page has all the events that took place in 2011. Bookmark this page and return to get information about 2012’s events!
America's most important Bach festival, the Carmel Bach Festival, returns in 2011 with 15 days of performances, talks and educational events. As in previous years, the focus is not only on Bach, but also on the many artists he influenced, such as Handel, Hayden, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, and more.
Music Director and Conductor Paul Goodwin has developed an exciting schedule, which will include multiple concerts every day. Gala dinners give guests the opportunity to enjoy fine food and magical performances. In the days leading up to the official start of the festival, visitors will even have the opportunity to attend several open rehearsals. View the full schedule at the Carmel Bach Festival website.
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Main Concerts
Carmel Bach Festival attendees will have the opportunity to see several main concert programs. While some programs have a particular piece at their center, others use many works to give insight into an artist or the evolution of a musical form.
Paul Goodwin opens the Festival with "Joy is in the Air: New Beginnings." This personal survey of Bach's music has been infused with a newly commissioned piece by American composer John Corigliano. The piece is also complemented by works from Handel and Haydn.
Bach's masterpiece, St. John Passion is sure to captivate the audience with the musical journey from tragedy to hope in "Johannes-Passion." Concertmaster Peter Hanson leads an evening of virtuoso 18th century music from Bach, Vivaldi, and Telemann in "Stringed Elegance." The audience will be able to explore five centuries of English composition with composers Henry Purcell, Sir John Tavener, Ralph Vaughan Williams and William Walton in "Inside the Music: The English Spirit."
The audience will immerse themselves in "Heav'nly Harmony" with odes to St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Monumental works by Purcell, Handel, and Britten will be performed at the historic Carmel Mission. In "Bach, Jazz, and the Spaces-in-Between," guests will be delighted with both the music of Bach and music spanning hundreds of years, from different corners of the globe. Works to include Concerto in F Minor, Bach and Forth Solo Piano, and Concerto in D Minor.
Pre-Concert Talks
Preceding most main concerts is a pre-concert talk that provides insight into the works to be performed. David Gordon will set the scene for Bach's St John Passion in his talk "Consider, O My Soul," he'll also tell the fascinating story of the violin family in "With Strings Attached," and listen to him share his ideas on music of England from the 17th to 20th century in "Sweet Harmony." Hear Andrew Megill give insights to the power of music to create harmony in our lives in "St. Cecilia," explore the commonality of Bach, jazz and world music in David Gordon's talk "Bach Beat," examine the contrasts of Vaughan Williams and Beethoven's versions of Pastorale in "War and Peace," and David Gordon will introduce celebratory music from Haydn, Handel and Bach in "Music for Rejoicing."
Dinners and Receptions
The Opening Night Gala, "Welcome all the Pleasures," will take place before Joy is the Air concert on July 16th. Guests will indulge in an elegant dinner with delectable food from award-winning chef Kurt Grasing accompanied by fine wine and desserts. Post-Concert Receptions will also take place after the Opening Night and Closing Night concerts. The Closing Night Reception will feature savory foods from top chefs in the area.
Chamber Concerts
26 chamber concerts expose the breadth of Bach and those he influenced. See performances of Bach's organ works, his cello suites, and his sonatas for harpsichord. You'll also have the chance to see works from Bach's contemporaries and inheritors, including Brahms, Schubert, Crusell, Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart and more.
Free Community Concerts
Three free community concerts will give all music lovers the opportunity to take in classical works. Two of the concerts, Youth Chorus and the Young Musicians Showcase, spotlight young talents. The Festival Musicians concert, meanwhile, features concert musicians in an informal setting, performing everything from Bach to Broadway.
Free Tower Music Concerts
The ever-popular Tower Music concert series returns this year. Each of these free short concerts features the Festival Brass and heralds the beginning of a main concert. Tower Music concerts are held in the Sunset Center terrace.
Films
The Carmel Bach Festival features two documentaries on classical music. Eroica brings to life Beethoven's momentous performance which prompted Haydn to remark "everything is different from today." Peter Hanson will answer questions following the screening. The Red Violin will explore the recording from John Corigliano which garnered a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for its producer.
Behind the Scenes Talks
Learn about the lives of today's classical musicians, along with their tools and techniques at three free "Behind The Scenes" talks at the Sunset Center. "I'm Running as Fast as I Can" discusses what it takes to have a singing career in the 21st century. "Alchemy of Voice" will feature David Gordon and soloists who will discuss the magic and power of the singing voice. The last talk, "Well-Tempered Keyboardists" will explore four centuries of keyboard instruments.
Carmel Bach Festival Venues
Venues, schedules and settings are as diverse as the repertoire. 2011's concerts will be held in Carmel-by-the-Sea's beautiful Sunset Theater and Carmel Mission Basilica. Other events will be held in churches, theaters and other public venues including the Church in the Forest in Pebble Beach, the Oldemeyer Center in Seaside and Wave Street Studios in Monterey.
Carmel Bach Festival Tickets
The Carmel Bach Festival works to make the inspiring music of Bach and his heirs accessible to everyone, with both many free events and a broad range of ticket price points. Tickets can be purchased through the Carmel Bach Festival's official ticketing site.
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