By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony
It has motivated the work of nearly every great composer to follow in the history of Western Classical music. It continues to inspire those who hear it more than 269 years after Bach’s death.
The 12th biennial Grand Rapids Bach Festival, the first under its new Artistic Director Julian Wachner, returns to West Michigan in March with a week of concerts and activities celebrating the life and work of the composer whose music represents the pinnacle of the Baroque Era.
An affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Grand Rapids Bach Festival will present the inaugural Linn Maxwell Keller Distinguished Bach Musician Award, a $10,000 cash prize in memory of Keller, an accomplished singer who founded the festival in 1997.
Julian Wachner, a keyboardist, conductor, composer and a Grammy nominated recording artist, serves as Director of Music and the Arts at New York City’s historic Trinity Church Wall Street, and Wachner will bring his 28-voice choir to Grand Rapids during the eight-day festival opening March 17. The Bach Festival Artistic Director chair is sponsored by John & Mary Loeks | Studio C.
“Bach has been a lifelong fascination and passion of mine,” said Wachner, who grew up in a musical family. “I started playing Bach before I could speak.”
At Trinity Church Wall Street, which is just down the street from the World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial, Wachner has been leading performances of the choral and orchestral music of J.S. Bach every week for more than six years.
“I’m really excited about bringing that experience to Grand Rapids,” he said. “There have been incredible artists who have joined the Grand Rapids Bach Festival including pianist Angela Hewitt and the Bach Collegium Japan under the director of Masaki Suzuki.”
“It’s an incredible honor to follow in all of their footsteps in being part of this wonderful festival,” Wachner said.
Besides musical performances, “Bach in the City” will include such activities as BACHBends yoga and KinderBACH for young children and adults. Locally, the Donut Conspiracy and Love’s Ice Cream have created special, limited-time taste treats especially for the 12th biennial festival.
A special $40 Bach Pass, in addition to priority seating at all concerts and entry to two exclusive post-concert receptions, includes discounts at local restaurants including MeXo Restaurant, Littlebird Restaurant, and Linear Restaurant as well as at Apothecary Off Main on Monroe Center.
Several events are free admission or freewill offering thanks to the support of major sponsors including: Prince Conference Center at Calvin College; Daniel L. & Ellen VanderMey; Grand Rapids Community College; and the Cathedral of Saint Andrews.
Bach Pass
The Grand Rapids Bach Festival’s Bach Pass, which admits holders to all ticketed concerts and provides preferred seating at free events, is available for $40 adults, $20 students. Order online.
The Bach Pass offers:
- Access to all 10 Bach Festival Concerts
- Exclusive post-concert receptions on Monday, March 18 at Linear Restaurant and on Thursday, March 21 at MeXo Restaurant.
- Free dessert at Littlebird Restaurant with the purchase of a meal
- Free first course at Linear Restaurant with the purchase of an entrée
- 20 percent off at Apothecary Off Main
Single Tickets
Single tickets are available in advance or at the door for Grand Rapids Bach Festival programs. The GRS ticket office is open weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Festival schedule
Sunday, March 17
BACH IN SACRED SPACES
Sunday morning
Area Churches
Grand Rapids Symphony musicians
Musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphony present the music of J.S. Bach and other composers inspired by Bach in Sunday services in centers of worship throughout the community to comfort and inspire. A jubilant opening to this year’s festival, presented free of charge.Tickets for these concerts are FREE
Monday, March 18
BACH FESTIVAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ORGAN RECITAL
7:30 p.m. Monday
Basilica of St. Adalbert, 654 Davis Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Julian Wachner, organ
During his life, J.S. Bach was little-known as a composer, but he was widely regarded as one of the greatest organ virtuosos of his day. Bach’s music for organ has astonished and mesmerized audiences ever since. Three powerful showpieces, including Charles-Marie Widor’s famous Toccata, will thunder from 3,883 pipes of the Wicks Organ in the Basilica of St. Adalbert. As a bonus, Bach Festival Artistic Director Julian Wachner will improvise at the keyboard based on themes suggested by the audience. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students. Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s Bach Pass.
Tuesday, March 19
LINN MAXWELL KELLER DISTINGUISHED BACH MUSICIAN AWARD SEMI-FINAL
2 p.m. Tuesday
Cathedral of St. Andrew, 301 Sheldon Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Vocal Competition Semi-Finalists
Hear the next generation of voices in a FREE concert showcasing the six Keller Award semi-finalists. The $10,000 Linn Maxwell Keller Distinguished Bach Musician Award competition aims to encourage and support gifted young singers in pursuit of professional careers in music. During each Festival cycle, one award of $10,000 will be granted, with intention to advance the career and professional developments of the recipient. Tickets for this concert are FREE
Tuesday, March 19
MARIMBACH
7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Grand Rapids Symphony percussion section
It’s Bach – with a backbeat! In the reverberant, Romanesque splendor of Fountain Street Church, a battery of percussion and percussionists will present MarimBACH – thrilling, percussive pronouncements on the Baroque. Tickets for this concert are FREE
Wednesday, March 20
ORGAN RECITAL featuring ISABELLE DEMERS
12 p.m. Wednesday
Grace Episcopal Church, 1815 Hall St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Isabelle Demers, organ
“Terrific,” raves the Chicago Tribune of young organ sensation Isabelle Demers, who has attracted a legion of followers. “Her technical and musical dexterity proved that the next generation of organists is well capable of carrying the profession forward,” declared The American Organist. Experience her artistry on Grace Episcopal Church’s three-manual, 40-rank Noack tracker organ. FREE will offering
Wednesday, March 20
BACHBENDS
12 p.m. Wednesday, St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
7 p.m. Wednesday, First United Methodist Church, 227 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
J.S. Bach’s masterful counterpoint can provide the perfect accompaniment to lead you through such yoga poses as tree, warrior or downward-facing dog. Licensed yoga instructor and WOTV’s wellness expert Michele Fife leads a specially-curated playlist for both restorative and flow-type classes. Don’t just sit and listen when you can listen, feel and move. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students. Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s Bach Pass.
Thursday, March 21
LINN MAXWELL KELLER DISTINGUISHED BACH MUSICIAN AWARD FINALS
3 p.m. Thursday
Cathedral of St. Andrew 301 Sheldon Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Vocal Competition Finalists
The three finalists of the $10,000 Linn Maxwell Keller Distinguished Bach Musician Award competition will perform a FREE recital. Each candidate will perform two contrasting arias by J.S. Bach plus one vocal work by another composer of the singer’s choice. Tickets for this concert are FREE
Thursday, March 21
MASS REIMAGININGS
7 p.m. Thursday
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 134 N. Division Ave., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Julian Wachner, conductor
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
From the famous Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street will travel to Grand Rapids to perform Bach’s Mass in A for choir, flute, strings and basso continuo, and Julian Wachner’s own Epistle Mass, which draws upon 1,000 years of musical influences from Gregorian Chant to contemporary times. Enjoy the music in historic St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, the oldest existing public building in Grand Rapids, dating from 1848. Tickets are $15 adults, $5 students. Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s Bach Pass.
Friday, March 22
NOONTIME BACH
12 noon Friday
First United Methodist Church, 227 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Julian Wachner, conductor
Molly Netter, soprano
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone
Bach composed more than 200 cantatas. This aching, exquisite trio of cantatas can be counted among his most personal. The radiant Cantata No. 170 surveys the world and begs for release. Cantata No. 51 is a sterling duet for soprano and trumpet. And, in “Ich habe genung,” as the solo tenor’s flesh weakens, his spirit soars. His weary words are frequently punctuated by pauses, and in those long pauses is heard the most poignant music of all. The truths found in Bach’s music will reveal themselves in the Tiffany windowed First United Methodist Church. Tickets are $5. Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s Bach Pass.
Saturday, March 23
KINDERBACH
11 a.m. Saturday
Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory at GRCC, 200 Lyon St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Join us for an opportunity to play with your little one in an hour-long interactive KinderBach class. Inspired by Anna Harwell Celenza’s book, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, the session will be led by a Grand Rapids Symphony musician and a dancer from Grand Rapids Ballet. Tickets are $10 adult plus one child (age 5 and under). Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s Bach Pass.
Saturday, March 23
BACH MAGNIFICAT
7:30 p.m. Saturday
Basilica of St. Adalbert, 654 Davis Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Julian Wachner, conductor
Molly Netter, soprano
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
Brian Giebler, tenor
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone
Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, Pearl Shangkuan, director
Music for the season as well as music for all seasons. Bach’s Magnificat, his first liturgical composition with a text in Latin, soars and sings, inspiring choirs and listeners for nearly three centuries. Cantata No. 110 radiates joy for the coming of man with alternating biblical texts and arias. And Martin Luther’s own hymn is rejuvenated centuries later by Igor Stravinsky. The Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus joins soloists and orchestra for the performance in the sonic splendor of the Basilica of St. Adalbert. Tickets are $26 adults, $5 students. Free with the 2019 GR Bach Festival’s BachPass.
Sunday, March 24
BACH IN SACRED SPACES
Sunday
Area Churches
Grand Rapids Symphony Musicians
In the spirit of Bach’s evergreen renewal of the soul, the festival concludes as it began as musicians from the Symphony again perform in Grand Rapids churches. All events are FREE, and bring the festival to a glorious conclusion – until 2021! Tickets for these concerts are FREE
