Annual Peoria Bach Festival Young Artists' Concert - 12:05 p.m. (FREE)

The 2010 Peoria Bach Festival begins with our annual Young Artists' Concert. Come and hear young adults and children of all ages sing and play the violin, keyboard, brass, and woodwind instruments. If you know of a child or young adult that would like to participate, please call Dr. Martin Dicke at (309) 676-4609 (x207).

Jonathan Wessler in Concert - 8:00 p.m. (FREE)

Jonathan Wessler, organ

Jonathan Wessler has been the featured keyboardist for the Peoria Bach Festival since its founding in 2003 and has been featured on numerous concerts on both organ and harpsichord. Now, for the first time, he presents a full solo recital for organ. Having earned a bachelors of music in organ performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a masters at Notre Dame University, he now is pursuing doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Jonathan has selected to play portions of the Clavierubung III which features the Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major, BWV 552 as bookends to elaborate settings of the greatest Lutheran chorales.

Festival Worship Services - 8:00 & 10:45 p.m.

featuring the Trinity Sanctuary Choir and Brass Ensemble

In the context of a worship service, the Trinity Sanctuary Choir joined by singers and instrumentalists from the community will sing several works by Bach and two works by Bach's contemporary Karl Heinrich Graun (1704-59). For 150 or more years after its composition in 1755, Graun's passion setting The Death of Jesus was as popular in Germany as Handel's Messiah is in our country today. Before the revival of the St. Matthew Passion by Felix Mendelssohn in 1829, it was the passion setting of choice and performed regularly during Holy Week. If you would like to sing in the choir for this event, please call Dr. Martin Dicke at (309) 676-4609 (x207).

Lunch With Bach: The St. Matthew Passion Part One - 12:00 p.m. (FREE - call to reserve a lunch)

Dr. Martin Dicke, lecturer

Have a FREE lunch on us and hear about the origins, original performances, and the revival of the St. Matthew Passion. Lunch is served at 12:00 noon. The lecture will begin at 12:10 and conclude at 1:00 p.m. In reviewing Part One of the Passion, we will examine the overall structure of the work and learn how the recitatives, choruses, and arias serve the telling of the story. In considering the revival of the Passion, we will discuss how it was not performed for nearly a century until Felix Mendelssohn revived it in 1829 and 1841. We will learn what changes Mendelssohn made to the work, hear some samples from the Mendelssohn arrangement, and discuss what impact the Mendelssohn revival had generally on the revival of music of J. S. Bach.

The lecture is FREE. Call (309) 676-4609 to reserve a FREE lunch.

Bach at Noon: Exploring Aspects of the Great Passion - 12:05 p.m. (FREE)

featuring the Trinity Sanctuary Choir with singers and instrumentalists from the community

This imaginative program will explore various aspects of the St. Matthew Passion. It will include two works by Karl Heinrich Graun, whose passion Der Tod Jesu (The Death of Jesus) supplanted Bach's passions for many years, as well as several by Mendelssohn, who reintroduced the world to Bach's St. Matthew Passion in 1829. Aspects of the some of the chorales (hymns) used in this passion will also be explored.

Hey Kids! Meet Mr. Bach: Mr. Bach Gets Into Trouble - 4:00 p.m. (Admission $2.50)

When he was young, he got into a sword fight with a bassoonist. Then he received several weeks off to take a trip, but stayed for several months instead. Later on in his life, he was thrown into jail for not obeying his Duke. What did Mr. Bach do in these situations?

The first 50 families in attendance will receive a free CD of Bach's music performed by the Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra. To order tickets, please call (309) 676-4609 or e-mail us at peoriabachfestival@trinitypeoria.com.

Lunch With Bach: The St. Matthew Passion Part Two - 12:00 p.m. (FREE - call to reserve a lunch)

Dr. John Jost, lecturer

Have another FREE lunch on us and hear about the incredible music and features of Part Two of the St. Matthew Passion. The lecture will begin at 12:10 and conclude at 1:00 p.m. Besides examining the libretto and hearing samples of the beautiful music from Part Two, we will learn how the very structure of the work is intimately connected to the message of the work.

The lecture is FREE. Call (309) 676-4609 to reserve a FREE lunch.

Chamber Concert 2010: Arias and Ariosos from the St. Matthew Passion - 5:30 p.m. (FREE)

The arias and ariosos of the St. Matthew Passion provide commentary and context to the action of the story. These times of repose and contemplation are some of the most moving parts of the work. Join us as we perform some of our favorites.

Bach at Noon: More Arias and Some Recits from the Great Passion - 12:05 p.m. (FREE)

In a passion setting, recitatives provide us the story line whereas the arias provide opportunity for commentary and reflection on the story. In this concert, we perform some of the most poignant recitatives and a few more of the arias of the Great Passion.

Pre-concert Lecture - 7:15 p.m.

Prelude - 7:45 p.m. (Jonathan Wessler, organ)

The St. Matthew Passion: Part One - 8:00 p.m. (Admission $12 Adults/$8 Students at the door)

Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra, Dr. Martin Dicke, conductor

Part One of Bach's monumental St. Matthew Passion is performed featuring soloists, two choirs, two orchestras, and a children's choir. Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 if paid for in advance. Students may purchase tickets for $8 at the door or $5 in advance.

To order advance tickets, please call (309) 676-4609 or e-mail us at peoriabachfestival@trintypeoria.com.

Prelude - 7:45 p.m. (Jonathan Wessler, organ)

The St. Matthew Passion: Part Two - 8:00 p.m. (Admission $12 Adults/$8 Students at the door)

Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra, Dr. John Jost, conductor

Part Two of Bach's monumental St. Matthew Passion is performed featuring soloists, two choirs, and two orchestras. Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 if paid for in advance. Students may purchase tickets for $8 at the door or $5 in advance.

To order advance tickets, please call (309) 676-4609 or e-mail us at peoriabachfestival@trintypeoria.com.

All concerts and events will be held at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 135 NE Randolph Ave., Peoria, Illinois 61606. For directions, please call (309) 676-4609 or follow the instructions below:

Trinity is on the corner of Hamilton Blvd. and Randolph Ave. on the bluff overlooking downtown Peoria. To find Trinity, click here here for a map or follow the directions below.

FROM DOWNTOWN PEORIA - Locate Hamilton Blvd. and turn onto it heading up the hill and away from the river (i.e. NW). Shortly after Methodist hospital, you will see Trinity at the top of the hill on the left side. Turn left onto Randolph Ave. and then take the first right. This will bring you into the church's main parking lot.

FROM BRADLEY UNIVERSITY - Find Main St. (just North of Bradley) and turn East. When you reach North St., turn left. Both the second and third right turn on North St. will bring you into the church's parking lot.