The BACH COLLEGIUM SAN DIEGO was founded in 2003 by Ruben Valenzuela with the purpose of enriching San Diego's music community with historically informed performances of the Renaissance, Baroque, and in particular the vocal works of J.S. Bach. Its members have longstanding experience with such notable ensembles as the Academy of Ancient Music, American Bach Soloists, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, and the Philharmonia Chorale. During its first six seasons, the ensemble has earned an impressive reputation, captivating diverse audiences by their unique style and highly expressive and provocative approach to the Renaissance and Baroque repertoire and beyond. The chorus has participated twice at an international tour to Mexico City with performances at the XV Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco, in addition to highly acclaimed first San Diego period instrument performances of Handel's Theodora, Handel’s Messiah and Bach's B minor Mass.

DIRECTORS

RUBEN VALENZUELA (Founder & Music Director) His work has been described as "state of the art, vital, and refined" with an ability to deliver performances that immediately speak to audiences through their unrelenting energy, spirit, and inspired musicianship. In addition to his conducting and music direction, he has distinguished himself as an organist, harpsichordist, continuo player, and musicologist. As such, he has been influential in bringing to the Southern California music community historically informed performances of the Renaissance, early and high Baroque, through German motets of the 19th century. Most recently, he led the BCSD in San Diego's first period instrument performance of Bach's B minor Mass as well as guest conducting Orchestra Nova San Diego (San Diego Chamber Orchestra) in Haydn's Creation, and working with BCSD artistic advisor Richard Egarr in performances of Handel's Theodora. Mr. Valenzuela is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Musicology & Historical Performance Practices at Claremont Graduate University.

PIERRE JOUBERT (Associate Director) As a regular member of the Academy of Ancient Music, UK he has given concerts in all of the main concert halls of Europe, Japan, South America and the U.S.A. and worked with Christopher Hogwood, Robert Levin, Andrew Manze, and Richard Egarr. He has played on a large number of commercial recordings for Decca Records and Harmonia Mundi, including concertos and orchestral works by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, Symphonies by Haydn and Beethoven, concertos by Mozart, and operas by Handel, Haydn and Mozart.

In 1994, he joined the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the direction of principal conductors Sir Simon Rattle and Franz Bruggen. He has played with the orchestra in all the major cities of Europe along with regular appearances at the Lincoln Center. Since moving to San Diego, he has lectured in music history at the University of California San Diego, regularly concertizes with the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, and collaborates with Ruben Valenzuela as the Associate Director of the Bach Collegium San Diego.

RICHARD EGARR (Artistic Advisor) is one of the most versatile musicians around. He has worked with all types of keyboards and performed repertoire ranging from fifteenth-century organ intabulations to Dussek and Chopin on early pianos, to Berg and Maxwell Davies on modern piano. He is in great demand as a soloist and chamber musician, as well as a conductor.

As a conductor, Richard Egarr has presented a wide range of repertoire, from Bach’s Matthew Passion to John Taverner’s Ikon of Light. He has worked with specialised ensembles and modern orchestras alike, such as Tafelmusik Toronto, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Dutch Radio Chamber Orchestra. He is director of the Amsterdam-based Academy of the Begijnhof. Recent productions include Handel’s Esther, Acis & Galatea, Alcina and L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, many performances of Messiah, and dramatic Handel Opera arias with soprano Emma Bell and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Haydn’s Creation, Purcell’s Fairy Queen, Bach’s B minor Mass and Telemann’s St Matthew Passion, and Stokowski arrangements with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. In April 2006 he was appointed as Christopher Hogwood’s successor as Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music, with effect from the 2006–2007 season.

As soloist, Richard has performed extensively in the major music festivals throughout Europe and Japan; his 2006 solo tour in the USA with Bach’s Goldberg Variations received great critical acclaim. He has appeared many times as orchestral soloist with the Dutch Radio Chamber Orchestra, with the Orchestra of the 18th Century as well as with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble.

Richard Egarr records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi USA. His solo discs include works by Frescobaldi, Gibbons, Couperin, Purcell, J.S. Bach and the complete recording of the keyboard works of Johann Jakob Froberger. Recent recordings include Per Cembalo Solo (Gramophone Editor’s Choice) and Bach’s Goldberg Variations. He has made numerous recordings with Andrew Manze, of violin sonatas by Rebel, Pandolfi (Gramophone Award), Handel (nominated for a Grammy Award), Bach, Corelli (Prix Caecilia), Biber’s Rosary Sonatas (Edison Award) and Mozart’s Auernhammer Sonatas. With the Academy of Ancient Music he recorded the complete Bach harpsichord concertos. Upcoming issues include solo keyboard music by Mozart and Louis Couperin, Bach’s Wohltemperierte Clavier Book I, and (with the Academy of Ancient Music) Handel’s Concerti Grossi Op.3 and the Organ Concerti Op.4 and 7.

Season 2009-2010 BCSD Chorus

Soprano:
Suzanne Anderson
Melissa Carter
Anne-Marie Dicce
Angelica Eclar
Bianca Hall
Pamela Narbona
Jenny Spence
Anastasia Tilbury
Anne Whattoff

Alto/Countertenor:
Jennifer Boyum
Richard Dawes
Janelle DeStefano
Leslie Edmonds
Katrin Nogols Genzlinger
Martha Jane Lownie
Erick Rarick
Dan Roihl
Leo Trottier

Tenor:
Matt Bohy
Brad Fox
Matt Hall
Vladimir Maric
Dave McCarthy
Krishan Oberoi
Erick Rarick
William Rowley
Anand Sarwate
John Sterne
Stephen Sturk
Matthew Tresler

Bass:
Michael Blinco
Jeffrey Genzlinger
David Marshman
Gordon Shugars
Phil Simon
Christopher Stephens
Randy Stewart
Florin Vaida

BCSD Instrumentalists

Violin:
Pierre Joubert
Randall Brinton
Susan Feldman
Jennifer Lynn
Neli Nikolaeva
Joel Pargmann
Anne Rardin
Janet Strauss
Amy Wang

Viola:
Jane Levy
Aaron Westman

Viola da Gamba & Violone:
Denise Briese
Shanon Zusman

Cello:
Joanna Blendulf
Shirley Hunt
William Skeen

Lute & Theorbo:
Daniel Zuluaga

Traverso & Recorder:
Janet Beazley
Mindy Rosenfeld
Sherril Wood

Oboe:
Sarah Davol
Michael Du Pree
Paul Sherman

Trumpet:
Kathryn Adduci
Ray Burkhart
Melissa Rodgers

Horn:
Paul Avril
Steve Durnin
Zach Maupin

Bassoon:
Carolyn Beck
Charles Koster

Timpani:
Maury Baker

Organ & Harpsichord:
Ruben Valenzuela
Michael Sponseller

BCSD Board of Directors
Ruben Valenzuela
Patrick Anderson
Anne-Marie Dicce
Anastasia Tilbury
Florin Vaida
Richard Widney

Jay Hansen, Esq., Legal Consultant
Jeffrey Genzlinger, Chorus Manager
Anne-Marie Dicce, Managing Director
Stephanie Thompson, Public Relations
Bjørn Rafto & Mars Rafto, Stage Managers
Jennifer Timmons, BCSD Intern

bach collegium san diego