"Bach to the Future"

A selection of works by J.S Bach paired with a premiere​

composed for the ensemble by Britney Do

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Works by J.S. Bach: 

Cantata: Christ lag in Todes Banden

Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major

Violin Concerto in A minor, with soloist Victor Fournelle-Blain

 

Commissioned Work by Britney Do:

Prey to A.I. 

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Artistic Director: Jean-Sébastien Lévesque

(www.jeansebastienlevesque.com)

June 10, 2023 @ 7:00 pm

Fulford Community Hall, Salt Spring Island

                                

Bach on the Rock (BOTR) chamber orchestra and choir will return to its namesake roots with a largely Bach repertoire for its final concert of the season.

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BOTR artistic director Jean-Sébastien Lévesque has put together a program of three contrasting J.S. Bach pieces for a concert called Bach to the Future set for Fulford Hall on Saturday, June 10 at 7 p.m.

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Christ lag in Todes Banden is one of the Bach’s earliest cantatas, written for Easter and using the text of a hymn by Martin Luther.

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The Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major will feature BOTR musicians in a multi-movement work that contains several uplifting French-style dances.

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The third Bach piece in the concert is the Violin Concerto in A minor, with soloist Victor Fournelle-Blain from Montreal, which Jean-Sébastien says will be familiar to many as one of Bach’s most famous pieces.

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When programming his first season as artistic director of BOTR, Jean-Sébastien suggested commissioning a new work. Wanting to support a young composer, it was recommended he connect with Britney Do. She is a graduate of the Vancouver Academy of Music composition program who has trained in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute and plays violin with VSO School of Music ensembles. Do’s piece called Prey to AI was created especially for the Bach on the Rock chamber orchestra and choir and will premiere at the June 10th concert.  As artificial intelligence is a huge topic in the news these days, “It’s a work that fits in with this moment,” says Jean-Sébastien.

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Tickets for the concert ($25 for adults, $5 for youth) are available on the bachontherock.com website or at the door. 

The next day, June 11 at 3 p.m. at All Saints by-the-Sea, a fundraising concert for the Bach on the Rock Music Society will also be held. It features Jean-Sébastien Lévesque on piano, Victor Fournelle-Blain on violin and Margaret Fisher on horn. See this link for more information.