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Symphony
MAHLERTHON AT SRS WEILL HALL CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Chamber
UNIQUE TRIO FOR THE ROMANTIC ERA IN SONG
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Chamber
JASPER'S LUSH PERFORMANCES OF STILL, DVORAK AND FUNG QUARTETS
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Symphony
A SHOUT AND SONIC WARHORSES AT NOVEMBER'S SRS CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Choral and Vocal
ECLECTIC WORKS IN CANTIAMO SONOMA'S SEASON OPENING CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Symphony
FRANKENSTEIN THRILLS IN UNIQUE SO CO PHIL CONCERT IN JACKSON THEATER
by Peter Lert
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Choral and Vocal
BAROQUE EXTRAVAGANZA AT AMERICAN BACH MARIN CONCERT
by Abby Wasserman
Friday, October 25, 2024
Recital
LARGE AUDIENCE HEARS AX IN WEILL PIANO RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Symphony
SRS' NEW SEASON OPENS WITH BEETHOVEN AND COPLAND IN WEILL
by Terry McNeill
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Chamber
TWO CHAMBER MUSIC WORKS AT MARIN'S MT. TAM CHURCH
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, October 13, 2024
CHORAL AND VOCAL REVIEW

Sonoma Bach Choir

A FITTING OPENING FOR SCHROEDER HALL

by Terry McNeill
Saturday, August 23, 2014

A choral concert by the Sonoma Bach Choir was a fitting opening for the new Schroeder Hall at Sonoma State University on Aug. 23. After all, the idea for the Green Music Center came many years ago from Don Green, who at the time was singing in the Bach Choir, conducted then and now by Bob Worth.

The program offered an eclectic mixture of voice and organ music that was often preceded by Mr. Worth's erudite commentary and his reading of various poems. David Parsons was the versatile organist commanding the impressive Brombaugh tracker organ.

Beginning with the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the organist and the 50-voice choir moved through a stimulating series of a full Bach cantata ("Der Herr denket an uns") and three Bach organ pieces, finishing with the Leipzig master's majestic "Gratias agimus tibi" from the B Minor Mass. Byrd and Monteverdi works were also part of the mix, including Monteverdi's wonderful Psalm 126, "Nisi Dominus."

Three soloists were featured in the cantata: soprano Dianna Richardson, tenor David Stohlmann and bass Tim Marson. Each of them could be distinctly heard, a vocal clarity that wasn't always present when the choir was at full throttle, as in the Beethoven. Perhaps the hall can be subsequently tuned with the red upper-wall curtains?

Mr. Worth's conducting was everywhere exact, and he drew from his choir an absorbing fusion of sonority that honored both the hall and the selected compositions.