About the Vocalists
The CHORUS OF THE BACH COLLEGIUM SAN DIEGO was founded in 2003 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. The chorus consists of the finest singers in San Diego, many of whom have longstanding experience with such ensembles as the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, and the Philharmonia Chorale, San Francisco. During its first five 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. Among the ensemble's strengths has been their ability to tailor a vocal ensemble to a specific repertoire. As such, performances have ranged from one voice per part to a chamber chorus.
Recently, the chorus embarked on their first international tour to Mexico City with performances at the XV Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco 2007, in addition to highly acclaimed first San Diego period instrument performances of Handel's Messiah and Bach's B minor Mass. Since 2006, the chorus has enjoyed annual collaborations with Jung-Ho Pak and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra.
Soprano:Alto: |
Tenor:Bass: |
* - Soloist
† - Chorus Manager
About the Instrumentalists
The ORCHESTRA OF THE BACH COLLEGIUM SAN DIEGO was founded in 2005 to act as the instrumental counterpart to the chorus and is the first period instrument orchestra to be established in San Diego. The orchestra features a core group of players who are active with such ensembles as the Academy of Ancient Music, American Bach Soloists, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra, and Philharmonia Baroque
Violin:Viola:Viola da Gamba & VioloneCello:Lute & Theorbo: |
Traverso & Recorder:Oboe:Trumpet:Horn:Bassoon:Timpani:Organ & Harpsichord: |
- Ruben Valenzuela Founder and Music Director
- Pierre Joubert Associate Director
- Richard Egarr Artistic Advisor
- Shanon Zusman Managing Director
DIRECTORS
About the Music Director
RUBEN VALENZUELA is the founder and music director of the Bach Collegium San Diego.
Under his direction, the ensemble made its debut in 2003 with landmark period instrument performances of the Bach Johannes Passion in collaboration with the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, and the late Michael Eagan. He has led the Bach Collegium San Diego in varied and diverse programs encompassing the music of the Renaissance, early and high Baroque, through German motets of the 19th century. Under his artistic direction, the Bach Collegium San Diego recently gave the first San Diego period instrument performances of Handel's Messiah and Bach's B minor Mass to high acclaim. As such, he has been influential in bringing historically informed performances of 17th and 18th century music to the San Diego music community. In 2007, he led members of the Bach Collegium San Diego on their first international tour to the XV Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco in Mexico City.
His early music credits include collaborations with the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, in addition to working with many of this country's leading early music specialists. Forthcoming engagements include guest conducting the San Diego Chamber Orchestra in their 2009 performances of Haydn's Creation.
From 1998 to 2001, he took up music research at CENIDIM (Centro Nacional de Investigación, Documentación e Información Musical, Carlos Chavez) with a focus on the genesis and transmission of the Libro que contiene onze partidos del M. Dn. Joseph de Torres. In 1998, as a member of the Mexican Academy of Ancient Organ Music, he had the rare opportunity to present a recital on the historic Jorge de Sesma organ (1695) of Mexico City Cathedral, as well as lecture and publish a series of articles in the music journal Heterofonia. At present, research activities include looking at Pietism and society in Leipzig, and its relation to Bach's cantata cycles.
In addition to his duties with the Bach Collegium San Diego, he is also the Director of Music & Organist of St. Peter's Episcopal Church Del Mar, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Musicology & Historical Performance Practices at Claremont Graduate University where he studies harpsichord and musicology with Dr. Robert Zappulla and Dr. Nancy van Deusen. He has received harpsichord coaching with Dr. Arthus Haas and Dr. Gwendolyn Toth in New York City, and includes among his chief collaborators and advisors conductor and tenor Stephen Sturk, violinist Pierre Joubert, and Richard Egarr. He is in demand as a conductor, organist, harpsichordist, musicologist, and continuo player, and is highly regarded for performances that combine scholarship and an inspired musicianship.
About the Associate Director
PIERRE JOUBERT studied music at the Birmingham Conservatoire and graduated with an A.B.S.M. Diploma on the violin. He was also awarded the Head of Schools Prize for his work in the field of chamber music. Upon graduating, he joined the BBC Midland Radio Orchestra and from 1982 to 1992 held the position of Assistant Concertmaster of the English String Orchestra. During his time with the E.S.O. he played in concerts in the U.K., Europe, and in 1989 a major tour of the U.S.A. conducted by Sir Yehudi Menuhin.
An interest in Baroque music led to the study of the Baroque violin and in 1988 he joined the Academy of Ancient Music directed by Christopher Hogwood. As a regular member of the A.A.M. 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. Highlights have included a residency at the Salzburg Festival with Sir Simon Rattle, a U.S. tour with Cecilia Bartoli including Carnegie Hall, and concerts, radio and T.V. broadcasts with Franz Bruggen, Gustav Leonhardt, William Christie, and Sir Charles Mackerras.
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 orchestra leader of the Bach Collegium San Diego. Future plans include appearances with Bach Collegium San Diego and tours to Europe and the U.S. with the Academy of Ancient Music.
About the Artistic Advisor
RICHARD EGARR 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.
Richard Egarr enjoyed his musical training as a choirboy at York Minster, at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, and as organ scholar at Clare College, Cambridge. His study with Gustav Leonhardt further inspired his work in the field of historical performance.
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 the Messiah, and dramatic Handel Opera arias with soprano Emma Bell and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Haydn’s The 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. Richard will be directing Bach’s St Matthew Passion in 2007 with the Dutch Bach Society, and, in a staged version, at Glyndebourne. He will also conduct the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Flemish Radio Symphony Orchestra (in Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique). 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.
In chamber music, Richard forms an ‘unequalled duo for violin and keyboard’ (Gramophone) with violinist Andrew Manze. They have toured Europe and North-America with music from the Stylus Phantasticus and late baroque. They have recently turned to later repertoire with performances of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Hubert Parry.
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.
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