Join us for Christmas Baroque

Our 2017 season draws to a close on 16 December with a real Christmas feast in the splendid surroundings of St Michael’s Church in Broad Street for a concert of Christmas Baroque favourites performed by the Oxford Bach Soloists conducted by Tom Hammond-Davies.

St Michael’s Church in Broad Street is a fantastic venue for this event. Its recent restoration which has opened up this historic building into a spacious, comfortable and beautiful space – just perfect a memorable evening of wonderful music presented on period instruments by an orchestra and singers of the highest calibre.

In this vibrant programme we shall have excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat and Purcell’s Behold, I bring you glad tidings as well as the delightful Es ist ein Ros entsprungen by Praetorius and Bach’s famous Air on a G string.

‘Absolutely perfect in every way’
– Oxford Mail

All this will be performed by ‘top-drawer’ instrumentalists and singers from the next generation of young soloists including:

Multiple award-winning choral director Tom Hammond-Davies is one of the most versatile conductors of his generation. Founder and Artistic Director of the Blenheim Singers and of the Oxford Bach Soloists, whose mission is to perform the complete vocal works of JS Bach over the next 12 years in Oxford.

Violinist Bojan Čičić will lead the orchestra and perform as soloist in Corelli’s magnificent Christmas Concerto. Bojan is Director and Soloist with the Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the King’s Consort. He is also Professor of Baroque Violin at the Royal College of Music. His latest CD won 5 star reviews from The Guardian, BBC Radio 3 Record Review and Classical Music.

Among the fabulous line up of singers are mezzo-soprano Esther Brazil sings with John Eliot Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists as well as the Dunedin Consort. And soprano Elspeth Piggott is a member and regular soloist with The Sixteen and I Fagiolini.

Countertenor William Purefoy who performs in concerts, recitals and operas internationally following his 2008 debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He is a regular soloist with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Hanover Band, The English Concert and the The Sixteen.

‘Artistic perfection … choral sound at its best!’
– President of the Bavarian Music Council

CHRISTMAS BAROQUE

Saturday 16 December 2017 7.30pm
St Michael’s Church, Broad Street, Bath

Programme

Corelli Christmas Concerto
Handel Messiah (excepts)
Pretorious Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
Bach Magnificat (excepts)
Purcell Behold, I bring you glad tidings
Bach Air on a G string BWV 1068
Bach Wachet auf (excerpts)