Music Of The Baroque Announces Further Revisions To 50th Anniversary Season

Music of the Baroque today announced that due to the current pandemic, the difficulty for travel for international conductors and soloists, and the need to maintain safety for musicians and audience, the repertoire for the 2020-21 season-the ensemble's 50th-will be revised. The planned golden jubilee season, featuring major dramatic works like Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Handel's Messiah, will be postponed entirely until 2021-22. Executive Director Declan McGovern commented, "It's important for us to be on stage now more than ever. Even if we are only able to perform virtually, we will be engaging our musicians and providing live performances at a time when it is desperately needed. Our audience has been incredibly loyal and committed through this entire pandemic, and it is a priority for me to follow through on our commitments to them."

The newly retooled season, consisting of six concerts between January and June 2021, shifts its focus to intimate, string-dominated music well-suited to social distancing, with the exception of a choral program (rescheduled from May 2020) at the end of the season. Three of the concerts will take place at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, two at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and the final performance at Faith, Hope, and Charity Church in Winnetka. All concerts will last approximately one hour with no intermission and be streamed live. Music of the Baroque will explore the possibility of an in-person, socially distanced audience as city and state requirements permit.

Music Director Jane Glover said of the revision, "Naturally I am wretched at being away from our musicians and audiences for the start of what should have been a grand commemoration of our 50th anniversary. But this revision offers a different sort of celebration. Our musicians will perform without a conductor in January and February, demonstrating their close-knit ensemble, prodigious talents, and the intimacy and communicative power of Baroque music. I will thankfully be with them in March with the immensely talented pianist Inon Barnatan, and together we will explore the music of Handel and Mozart. Nicholas Kraemer will lead the orchestra in April and May, presenting Brandenburg Concertos 3, 5, and 6 and one of his signature inventive orchestral programs showcasing groups of four. And in June, we finally bring our chorus back for Vivaldi's Gloria and Byrd's Mass for 4 Voices in a program called Musica Sacra, rescheduled from May 2020. I am so looking forward to these concerts, and to being with our musicians again. And we will celebrate our 50th anniversary properly during the 2021-22 season."

The Music of the Baroque Orchestra performs without a conductor in January and February; guest artist Inon Barnatan headlines March

The revised 50th season begins in January, as concertmaster Gina DiBello does double duty as soloist and director in Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Ryan Opera Center alumnus and baritone Christopher Kenney will read the original poetry written for the collection. The performance takes place Sunday evening, January 24, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. In February, co-assistant concertmasters Kathleen Brauer and Kevin Case are directors and soloists in Double Trouble-Bach & Vivaldi, featuring two-violin concertos by Bach and Vivaldi. The concert takes place Sunday evening, February 28, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

Jane Glover returns in late March for Barnatan Plays Mozart, featuring world- renowned pianist Inon Barnatan in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 14. Also on the program is Mozart's Symphony No. 29, Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from the oratorio Solomon, and Handel's Concerto Grosso op. 6, no. 4. The performance takes place Monday evening, March 29, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.

Nicholas Kraemer leads the Brandenburg Concertos in April and Baroque orchestral delights in May

Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer makes the first of two appearances in April, as he leads the Music of the Baroque Orchestra in three of Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos. Bach may have composed the six concertos to secure employment, but his "musical resume" stands today as one of the great monuments in Baroque orchestral music. Music of the Baroque performs Brandenburg Concertos 3, 5, and 6 Monday evening, April 26, at the Harris Theater.

In May, Kraemer directs a program entitled Plus Fours! emphasizing groups of four in music by four Baroque composers: Handel, Telemann, Locatelli, and Vivaldi. Featured works include concertos for four violins by Telemann and Vivaldi. The performance takes place Sunday evening, May 9, at the North Shore Center.

Jane Glover concludes the 50th anniversary season with Musica Sacra in Winnetka

The 2020-21 concert season closes with Music Director Jane Glover on the podium for Musica Sacra, the first program featuring the Music of the Baroque Chorus. Rescheduled from May 2020 and shortened slightly, the program includes Byrd's Mass for 4 Voices, Vivaldi's Gloria, and instrumental works by Purcell. The program takes place Sunday afternoon, June 6, and marks the ensemble's first appearance at Faith, Hope, & Charity Church in Winnetka.

A complete listing of the revised 2020-21 season repertoire, performance dates and times, and venues follows. Programs, dates, times, and locations are subject to change.

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