The San Francisco Early Music Society's 2019-2020 Concert Season Will Continue with MUSICA PACIFICA

The San Francisco Early Music Society's 2019-2020 Concert Season continues next month with Musica Pacifica. One of the Bay Area's most venerable early music ensembles, Musica Pacifica will perform a program of scintillating 18th-century Scottish music, delightfully blurring distinctions between classical and folk music. The concert is a follow-up to the group's most popular CD, Dancing in the Isles.

Concerts will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, February 14 at First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto; at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 15 at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley; and at 4 p.m. Sunday, February 16 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Francisco. Individual tickets, $15 to $50, are available for purchase online at sfems.org.

Founded in 1990, Musica Pacifica has been described as "some of the finest baroque musicians in America" (American Record Guide) and "among the best in the world" (Alte Musik Aktuell). Musicians next month include Judith Linsenberg (recorders), Ingrid Matthews (violin), Peter Maund (percussion), Charles Sherman (harpsichord) and William Skeen (cello), as well as special guest David Greenberg (violin).

For three decades, Greenberg has enjoyed a double career as a baroque violinist and a Cape Breton fiddler, composer and arranger. His fluency and experience in these two genres make him a unique interpreter of the wild music of 18th-century Scotland. He has recorded over 80 CDs as well as three groundbreaking Scottish-Cape Breton-baroque recordings with his own ensemble Puirt A Baroque. Greenberg also co-authored The DunGreen Collection (1996), an influential treatise on Cape Breton fiddling.

For their program next month, titled Airs of Caledonia, Musica Pacifica will showcase driving strathspeys and reels, soulful airs and merry jigs by the likes of Scottish composers James Oswald, "Red Rob" Mackintosh and Niel Gow, alongside more studied compositions by Henry Purcell, William McGibbon and Nicola Matteis. For more information, visit sfems.org/airs-of-caledonia.

FACT SHEET

WHO:

Musica Pacifica

Judith Linsenberg, recorders; Ingrid Matthews and David Greenberg, violins; William Skeen, cello; Peter Maund, percussion; Charles Sherman, harpsichord

PROGRAM:

Airs of Caledonia: Baroque and Traditional Music of Scotland and England

Alexander Walker et al., Bòg An Lochain Set

Robert Mackintosh, Suite from Airs, Minuets, Gavotts and Reels, Op.1

James Oswald (arr.) et al., The Lass of Patie's Mill Set

Henry Purcell, Selections from Purcell's theater pieces followed by two traditional Scottish tunes

James Oswald, Sonata of Scots Tunes

Nicola Matteis, Diverse bizzarie sopra la vecchia ciaccona

William McGibbon, Trio Sonata No. 5 in G (In Imitation of Corelli)

Nathaniel Gow, Niel Gow's Lament for the death of his second wife

Daniel Dow et al., Pinkie House Set

Alauna MacLean et al., Kate & David's Strathspey Set

WHEN & WHERE:

Friday, February 14 | PALO ALTO

8 p.m. @ First Presbyterian Church

1140 Cowper Street

Saturday, February 15 | BERKELEY

7:30 p.m. @ St. John's Presbyterian Church

2727 College Avenue

Sunday, February 16 | SAN FRANCISCO

4 p.m. @ St. Mark's Lutheran Church

1111 O'Farrell Street

TICKETS:

i??Individual tickets: $15 - $50

Tickets may be purchased online at sfems.org or by phone at 510-528-1725. The box office may also be reached by email at tickets@sfems.org.