STLMom is thrilled to share this sponsored post for The Bach Society with you!
Sounds of the Season:
Celebrate the Holidays by Christmas Candlelight
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
The Bach Society is back in person; there’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than with carols to fill your hearts with joy and Christmas spirit!
At St. Louis Mom, it’s not lost on us just how fortunate we are to have the high caliber of music and talent that we have here in St. Louis. The Bach Society is one of our local gems, bringing beautiful choral music since 1941— music not only written by Bach, but by numerous other classical and contemporary composers. We are excited to share that after hosting a fully-virtual season last year, St. Louis’s oldest continuous chorus is back in-person, presenting the 81st season with all its bells and whistles!
“We have been missing performing for an in-person audience for nearly two years, and we are excited to safely welcome audiences back to our concerts this Fall,” says Executive Director and local mom, Melissa Payton.
On Thursday, December 23, 2021, at 7:30 pm, the Bach Society of St. Louis will perform their annual Christmas Candlelight Concert at Powell Symphony Hall.This staple holiday event is not only St. Louis’s favorite and most memorable concert of the year, but is also hailed as one of the Top 20 LIVE Christmas Events in North America by BBC Music Magazine. It is a concert that adults and children (recommended over age 5) can experience together as a cherished family tradition.
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination,
& life to everything.” – Plato
The festive evening features the Bach Society of Saint Louis Chorus and Orchestra performing many of your favorite carols, including Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Christmas Carols.” Hosted in the beautifully decorated Powell Hall, it’s the perfect way to celebrate and get into the spirit of the holiday season!
Critically acclaimed Conductor and Music Director Dr. A. Dennis Sparger celebrates his 36th season with the Bach Society, and a special world-premiere will be performed in his honor: “This year I’m especially excited to premiere a brand-new carol setting by Mack Wilberg, conductor of the renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, commissioned by the Bach Society to commemorate my 35th season as conductor—we may be a year late but I’m still tremendously honored!”
St. Louis will also be welcoming Grammy-Award winning baritone Nathan Gunn as a featured performer at the holiday event. Gunn grew up in Indiana and studied music at the University of Illinois. He is respected as an artist, musician, and singing actor and has performed on the world’s most prestigious stages. Nathan has also been seen and heard on television, radio, video, and live simulcast performances. He has won multiple awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (Billy Budd) and the Metropolitan Opera’s first-ever Beverly Sills Award. Nathan has frequently collaborated with many stars of musical theater, including Kristin Chenoweth, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, and Kelli O’Hara.
If you haven’t experienced the Christmas Candlelight Concert before, this is one event you’ll want to add to your holiday traditions year after year! It’s the perfect seasonal family event, or even a holiday date night or ladies’ night out for music lovers. Tickets can be purchased here.
“Music is the universal language of mankind.”
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To ensure the safety of the performers and audience, masks are required, and all patrons 11 and older must show proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test. Bach Society of Saint Louis is committed to providing you with a safe and welcoming environment and encourages you to check our website for any updates prior to the performance. As protocols may change, we plan to include up-to-date information in all pre-concert email communications.
Bach Society COVID 19 Protocols
Bach Society Concert Photo Credits
go to Kris Bueltmann of Bueltmann Photography.
