Home

Young Bach Now in its sixth season, the Peoria Bach Festival 2008 will once again bring together topflight local, regional, and national musicians for a week of concerts and celebrations. All events will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 135 NE Randolph Ave., Peoria, Illinois, and are FREE unless indicated otherwise. A day by day description of the events follows. For more information, please call (309) 676-4609.

Monday and Tuesday, June 2 and 3 - The festival begins with two concerts entitled "Peoria PLAYS Bach" featuring Peoria's children and young adults (June 2 and 3 at 12:05 p.m.). This young artists' concert was held for the first time in 2007 and was so well-received that two are being offered this year. Children and young adults interested in participating should call (309) 676-4609 for an application. FREE

Wednesday, June 4 - At noon Marcia Henry Liebenow, violin, will play Bach's Partita No. 3 in E Major for solo violin. Marcia Henry Liebenow is the concertmaster for the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and a professor at Bradley University. She will be joined by Moises Molina who, as he did several years ago, will play one of Bach's suites for solo cello. He is a professor at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Both perform widely both nationally and internationally. FREE

At 4:00 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Bach will make their fourth annual appearance in Peoria in a special program for children entitled Bach: The Musical Magician. On this program, magician and ventriloquist Allan Adcock will help Mr. and Mrs. Bach explain the magical methods he uses to put music together. A free CD of Bachs music will be offered to the first 50 families in attendance. Admission is $2 for both children and adults. Call (309) 676-4609 for tickets.

Thursday, June 5 - At noon a lecture will be presented by co-directors John Jost and Martin Dicke. The lecture will offer insights and information on the cantatas that will be performed on the weekend festival concerts. A free lunch will be offered in conjunction with the lecture. Call (309) 676-4609 to reserve your lunch. FREE

At 5:30 p.m. a chamber concert will feature excerpts from "The Musical Offering," a collection of pieces written for Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Upon visiting his son C.P.E. who at that time was in the kings employ, the king presented Bach with a musical theme that the king himself had written. Bach astonished the king and the court by sitting down at the harpsichord improvising a fugue upon the theme. Upon returning home he composed twelve more compositions upon the theme and published them dedicating the publication to the king. This concert will feature Laraine Kaizer and Emma Lee Holmes-Hicks, violin; Carol Wessler, cello; and Jonathan Wessler, harpsichord. FREE

Friday, June 6 - At noon a concert of organ music for the seasons of Advent, Epiphany, Easter, and the Festival of the Reformation will be presented. The music will feature settings of four great German hymns "Savior of the Nations,Come," "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star," "Christ Jesus Lay in Deaths Strong Bands," and "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" corresponding with the main cantatas that will be performed on the weekend festival concerts. The featured performers will be Keith Williams and Martin Dicke, organ. FREE

At 7:30 p.m., the annual Coffee with Bach concert will be presented. Free coffee and desserts will be served beginning at 6:00 p.m. and a pre-concert lecture will be held at 6:45 p.m. The concert will feature the Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra and Choir in performances of Brandenburg Concertos 1 and 6 and Cantatas 61 and 1. Featured soloists in Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 will be Bruce Atwell and Gerald Wood, French Horns; S. Blake Duncan, Jennet Ingle, and Sheila McNally, oboes; and Nellie Dixon, bassoon. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 will feature Ana Marie Wilson and Katherine Lewis, violas; and Elizabeth MacDonald and Carol Wessler, gambas. The Peoria area mass choir will join the orchestra for a performance of Cantata 61 "Savior of the Nations, Come" and the Peoria Bach Festival Choir will conclude the concert with a performance of the Cantata 1 "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star." Admission to the concert is $10 Adults / $5 Students. Call (309) 676-4609 for tickets.

Saturday, June 7 - At 7:30 p.m. the Peoria Bach Festival 2008 Festival Concert will be presented. In this concert, the Bradley Chorale will make their first appearance at the Peoria Bach Festival. The concert will begin with Cantata 202, a solo wedding cantata featuring Kerry Walters, soprano, and S. Blake Duncan, oboe. The Bradley Chorale will join the Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra in a performance of Cantata 4 "Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands." The Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra and Choir will conclude the concert with a performance of Cantata 80 "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." There will be no pre-concert lecture on this evening. Admission to the concert is $10 Adults / $5 Students. Call (309) 676-4609 for tickets.

Sunday, June 8 - Festival worship services featuring Cantata 80 "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" will be presented at 8:00 and 10:45 a.m. FREE

Soli Deo Gloria!