"...This brings me to Sunday's (June 8) magnificent "B Minor Mass" given by Ruben Valenzuela's Bach Collegium San Diego in St. James Episcopal Church, La Jolla, because Valenzuela's approach to Bach represents the best application of music research and insight that has gathered strength in the last two or three decades. I would call his work "state of the art," but such appellations tend to push the designee into immediate obsolescence.

The size of his ensemble--some 28 singers (including four soloists) and 25 musicians playing period instruments--provided an elegant balance, allowing the well-produced choral sound to float over the orchestra, to be enriched by it, but never competing with the orchestra for dominance. Equally important were Valenzuela's precise and articulate sense of phrasing and his downbeats that exploded upwards, keeping the choral motion lithe and propulsive."

...Sandiego.com,
Ken Herman 2008


"I must confess that it was surprisingly satisfying to hear, in great part because of the polished and consistently stylish playing of the chamber orchestra's instrumentalists and the equally refined and historically-informed singing of the Bach Collegium"

...Sandiego.com,
Ken Herman 2007


"Under the Collegium’s Music Director Ruben Valenzuela, a perfect subdued and exquisite sound was elicited from the supple small chorus of eight voices and the players of period instruments with their pure and softened timbres."

...Sandiego.com,
George Weinberg-Harter 2007


"What San Diego rarely experiences (has it ever?) is a serious, period-instrument performance done in the style and proportion that the composer himself might have actually recognized...Enter Ruben Valenzuela and his plucky Bach Collegium San Diego, who staged a breath-taking and eye-opening (or should we say ear-opening) period instrument performance of Messiah Sunday evening at St. Paul’s Cathedral under the guest conductor Stephen Sturk."

...Sandiego.com,
Ken Herman 2007


"Ruben Valenzuela knew how to impress with his organ playing. The richly ornamented organ chorale Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele by J.S. Bach resounded at the beginning, and at the end his virtuoso Fantasia in G-Major was celebrated with bravura. Thus were demonstrated the advantages of the instrument in the Schillerkirche, achieving a ringing sound using contrasting registers."

...Thüringer Landeszeitung,
Unaccredited 2005


"Valenzuela's talents as a Bach conductor were displayed at their fullest. Their sound was fresh, clean, and bright, yet at the same time warm. The balance was flawless, bringing out the music's often complex contrapuntal lines with delectable clarity."

...The San Diego Reader,
Jonathan Saville 2004

Welcome

REFLECTING ON PURCELL, HANDEL, HAYDN

It is my pleasure to introduce you to season 2008-2009. Our 6th season will pick up just where we left off with our acclaimed performances of Bach's B minor Mass still ringing in the air. In the coming season we will continue to bring imaginative programming and foster exciting artistic partnerships, all of which will undoubtedly enrich our San Diego music community.

We are honored to introduce Richard Egarr, Music Director of the celebrated Academy of Ancient Music, as our Artistic Advisor. To mark this appointment, and to further introduce Mr. Egarr to San Diego audiences, he will perform Bach's Goldberg Variations as a special event at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. Other season highlights include performances of Monteverdi Madrigals and Renaissance Polyphony, both locally and abroad, with a return to the XVI Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco in Mexico City. In addition, the chorus of the Bach Collegium continues its partnership with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra with performances of Haydn's Creation under my direction, in addition to our annual performance of Handel's Messiah under the direction of Jung-Ho Pak. In the spring, soloists of the Bach Collegium will offer a chamber music program highlighting well-known favorites, and lesser-known gems of Purcell, Handel, and Haydn. Lastly, we close our season by marking the 250th anniversary of Handel's death with performances of the rarely heard oratorio, and masterpiece of musical drama, Theodora under the direction of Richard Egarr. I look forward to sharing another year of exciting musical explorations with you. Welcome to season 2008-2009.

Ruben Valenzuela Music Director & Conductor


CLICK HERE for our Season 2008-2009 brochure:


Season 2008-2009

Programs, artists, and locations subject to change

Musica Poetica ARTUSI CHALLENGES MONTEVERDI

Saturday 18 October 2009 at 7pm
St. Andrew's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
1050 Thomas Avenue, San Diego 92109

Sunday 19 October 2009 at 5pm
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
334 14th Street, Del Mar 92014

General: $25
Student: $12

Upon the publication of Monteverdi’s Fifth Book of Madrigals in 1605, the theorist Giovanni Artusi viciously attacked the “crudities” and “license” of the modern style of composing. Our first program will highlight the polyphonic ideal of the sixteenth century in direct opposition to the music of the seventeenth century as exemplified by Monteverdi and his contemporaries.

  • T.L. da Victoria Missa Pro Victoria
  • Claudio Monteverdi Madrigali (Libro V & Libro VI)
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi Toccata Sesta (Il Primo Libro)
  • including other polyphony by Italian and Spanish Masters
Ruben Valenzuela music direction and harpsichord

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Franz Joseph Haydn THE CREATION 1798

Sung in English with a newly edited text by Paul McCreesh

A collaboration between the Chorus of the Bach Collegium San Diego and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra

Monday 9 February 2009 at 7:30pm
Sherwood Auditorium (Museum of Contemporary Art)
700 Prospect Street, La Jolla 92037

Tuesday 10 February 2009 at 7:30pm
The Del Mar Country Club
6001 Clubhouse Drive, Rancho Santa Fe 92091

Friday 13 February 2009 at 7:30pm
St Paul's Cathedral, San Diego
2728 6th Avenue, San Diego 92103

We begin the new year with a performance of Haydn’s monumental oratorio The Creation to mark the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death. The Creation is often considered Haydn’s greatest work through its bold use of orchestral color, adventurous harmony, exceptional rhythmic and melodic inventiveness, and overall unity with an almost operatic vividness and power.

Ruben Valenzuela conductor

Soloists
Anne-Marie Dicce soprano
Vladimir Maric tenor
John Polhamus bass

For ticket information please visit: www.sdco.org

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A Reflection of Three Masters PURCELL, HANDEL, AND HAYDN

Saturday 25 April 2009 at 7pm
San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park
1450 El Prado, San Diego 92101

Sunday 26 April 2009 at 5pm
St. Peter's Episcopal Church
334 14th Street, Del Mar 92014

General: $25
Student: $12

It is a wonderful coincidence that 2009 marks the anniversaries of three composers who together span one of the most fertile periods in our musical history; Henry Purcell (Orpheus Brittanicus) who lived all his creative life in London and is among the very greatest composers England has produced; George Frideric Handel, the adopted Englishman who became so central to understanding Englishness in music; and Franz Joseph Haydn, whose visits to London crowned his long composing career.

  • Henry Purcell Abdelazer or the Moors Revenge Z570
  • Herny Purcell Trio Sonata No. 9 in F Major Z810
  • George Frideric Handel Violin Sonata in D Major Op. 1 No. 13 HWV371
  • George Frideric Handel Trio Sonata in G minor HWV393
  • Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartets from Op. 9.
Pierre Joubert music direction and violin

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Season Highlight

George Frideric Handel THEODORA 1749

An Oratorio in Three Acts

Saturday 27 June 2009 at 7pm
St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
743 Prospect Street, La Jolla 92037

Sunday 28 June 2009 at 5pm
Balboa Theatre (Gaslamp District)
868 Fourth Avenue, San Diego 92101

Ticket prices to be announced

Theodora, Handel's second to last oratorio and one of his favorites, was composed in just a month in the summer of 1749. It is Handel's only dramatic oratorio based on a Christian theme, which tells the tale of a Christian princess condemned to slavery for refusing to offer incense to the Roman gods as a sign of allegiance to the Emperor. Theodora is a masterpiece of musical drama containing some of Handel's most ravishing arias and duets, and some of his most emotionally charged choruses. We welcome artistic advisor Richard Egarr as guest conductor.

Richard Egarr guest conductor

Soloists
To be determined

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Special Events and Additional Performances

J. S. Bach GOLDBERG VARIATIONS BWV988

Celebrating Richard Egarr as BCSD Artistic Advisor

A collaboration between the Bach Collegium San Diego and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Sunday 2 November 2008
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street, La Jolla 92037

Members: $25
Non-Members: $30

Richard Egarr harpsichord

For ticket information please visit: www.ljathenaeum.org

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XVI Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco
Musica Poetica ARTUSI CHALLENGES MONTEVERDI

10-15 November 2008
Venues to include Mexico City Cathedral and the Old Basilica de Guadalupe.

  • T.L. da Victoria Missa Pro Victoria
  • Claudio Monteverdi Madrigali (Libro V & Libro VI)
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi Toccata Sesta (Il Primo Libro)
  • Polyphony by Italian and Spanish Masters
Ruben Valenzuela music direction and harpsichord

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George Frideric Handel MESSIAH Highlights

A Collaboration between the Chorus of the Bach Collegium San Diego and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra

Friday 12 December 2008 at 7:30pm
Solana Beach Presbyterian Church
120 Stevens Avenue, Solana Beach 92075

Saturday 13 December 2008 at 7:30pm
St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
743 Prospect Street, La Jolla 92037

Sunday 14 December 2008 at 4:00pm
California Center for the Performing Arts
340 N. Escondido Blvd, Escondido 92025

Jung-Ho Pak conductor

Soloists
Megan Weston soprano
Katherine Lundeen alto
Robert MacNeil tenor
Phil Larson bass

For ticket information please visit: www.sdco.org

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2nd Annual Bach Collegium San Diego Benefit Gala and Silent Auction

Saturday 28 February 2009 (6-10pm)
Venue and Admission to be announced

Music Director Ruben Valenzuela and the Bach Collegium San Diego cordially invite you to the 2nd Annual Benefit Gala and Silent Auction to benefit the work of the BCSD. Enjoy an intimate evening of gourmet wines and food, exquisite music, and live and silent auctions.

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- Past Concerts -