2022 Arizona Bach Festival Kicks Off This Month

The Arizona Bach Festival announces its 13th anniversary season of celebrating the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. This year's Festival features a virtuosic organist, world class Early Music specialists, the Arizona Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra performing glorious concertos of Bach's era and a stunning finale as the saxophonists of Sinta Quartet present the music of Bach in a fresh instrumentation that surely would have delighted the master composer.

The 2022 Arizona Bach Festival will be held February 27 through March 19 2022, with concerts at All Saints' Episcopal Church (Feb. 27, Mar. 11 & Mar. 13) and Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church (Mar. 19). Pre-concert lectures will be held one hour prior to each concert.

Festival passes for all four events as well as single tickets are on sale at arizonabachfestival.org. Student tickets are available at the door for $15 for any concert. The Arizona Bach Festival will also be offering a video option to view all four concerts for $50.

Artists participating in the 2022 Festival will each hold free masterclasses with local music students. Visit arizonabachfestival.org for a full schedule of events.

Isabelle Demers - Organ Recital

Sunday, February 27, 3:00 p.m.

All Saints' Episcopal Church

6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix

Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door

$15 students

Playing on the wonderful Visser tracker instrument at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Isabelle will be presenting an extremely varied and entertaining program. It will include the Trio Sonata in G major, the Sinfonia from Cantata 146, and the E Flat (St. Anne) Prelude and Fugue along with other exciting works. Isabelle returns to the AZ Bach Festival after receiving rave reviews for her last performance. Born in Canada and a graduate of Julliard, she is now head of the organ department at Baylor University. A stunning recitalist, she is greatly sought after, and we are honored to be presenting her in Phoenix once again.

Geoffrey Burgess & Leon Schelhase - Oboe and Harpsichord

Friday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.

All Saints' Episcopal Church

6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix

Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door

$15 students

Geoffrey Burgess (Eastman School of Music) and Leon Schelhase (Curtis Institute) join forces in this elegant program of Bach Sonatas, Partitas, and Toccatas for oboe and harpsichord. Both superb performers with international fame, they come together for this Phoenix concert; Leon on harpsichord and Geoffrey on Baroque oboe. This is a rare chance to hear this historically important Baroque oboe sound and repertoire. Not to be missed!

Arizona Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra

"Glorious Concertos"

Conducted by Scott Youngs

Sunday, March 13, 3:00 p.m.

All Saints' Episcopal Church

6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix

Tickets: $40 advance/$45 at the door

$15 students

Arizona Bach Festival strays, for the first time ever, away from Papa Bach and adds his contemporaries: Handel, Albinoni, and Vivaldi. Featuring concertos for harp, oboe, and bassoon, the afternoon also includes Brandenburg Concerto Number 6. The concert comes to an exciting conclusion with Josefien Stoppelenburg singing the Handel "Gloria." Not much can top that!

Sinta Saxophone Quartet

"Saxy Bach"

Saturday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.

Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church

6715 N Mockingbird Ln, Scottsdale

Tickets: $30 advance/$35 at the door

$15 students

At first blush, it might seem a stretch to include saxophones in a Bach Festival. However, no one recycled Bach more than Bach himself. Transcriptions for every instrument exist and the music takes on new colors, and new magic, but always remains true to Johann Sebastian. These virtuosic musicians show us that the saxophone can be expressive, powerful, and joyful with Bach's music.

Phoenix Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. TOOTSIE (Arizona Broadway Theatre)

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