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Symphony
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by Peter Lert
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Symphony
VSO'S CONCERT MUSIC OF TIME, MUSIC OF PLACE
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Choral and Vocal
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by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Saturday, April 26, 2025
CANTIAMO SONOMA SINGS AN INSPIRED GOOD FRIDAY MOZART REQUIEM CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Friday, April 18, 2025
DRAMATIC SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY CLOSES PHILHARMONIC'S 25TH SEASON
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, April 13, 2025
LARGE COLLEGE OF MARIN AUDIENCE GREETS STOPHER ARTISTRY
by Terry McNeill
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Chamber
FRISSON DELIVERS SHIVERS OF DELIGHT
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, March 30, 2025
OLD AND MOSTLY NEW IN SRS MARCH CONCERT IN WEILL
by Peter Lert
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Symphony
TWO FORMIDABLE SYMPHONIES AND PURPLE MOUNTAINS AT SRS CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Chamber
THE PARKER CAPTURES DEMANDING ADES QUARTET AT RAC SEBASTOPOL CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Saturday, February 15, 2025
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.