WINTER PARK — One of the most popular and appealing aspects of the holidays is the music: all those timeless songs that evoke the spirit of the season.
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park is eager to start their own annual family tradition when they perform their upcoming holiday-themed concert, A Classic Christmas, in December.
“Audiences of all ages enjoy this annual celebration of seasonal classics arranged exclusively for the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra with soprano Mary Wilson and bass-baritone Kevin Deas,” the Society noted in a news release.
The concert will be performed on Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1 and 4 p.m. both days in the historic Knowles Memorial Chapel at 1000 Holt Ave. on the campus of Rollins College. This marks the return of the A Classic Christmas concert for the first time in two years.
What is the A Classic Christmas concert?
A Classic Christmas will feature their conductor, John V. Sinclair, overseeing the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra, as their special guests Wilson and Deas perform traditional classics that are loved during the holidays.
“This collection of choral performances has a wide variety of experiences: Bach Festival Choir, Members of the Bach Festival Choir, and visiting ensemble The King’s Singers performing works by J. S. Bach, female composers, Christmas favorites, and more,” the Society noted on its website.
Tickets for this concert start at $30, and are still available for the performances on both days.
In addition to seeing this holiday concert, the Bach Festival Society is encouraging its patrons to consider getting a season subscription. In 2023, their upcoming concerts include:
- Spiritual Spaces on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 3 & 5 p.m.
- The King’s Singers on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Venus Ascending on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m.
- J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m.
- and Pursuit of Peace on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m.
Subscriptions can be ordered online 24 hours a day, or during Box Office hours (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) by phone at 407-646-2182.
What is the Bach Festival Society?
The Bach Festival Society was founded at Rollins College in 1935 with their goal of commemorating the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth. They did that by presenting the composer’s music to the public, while forming a partnership with Rollins College as an independent non-profit organization.
Today, the Society remains an all-volunteer choir of more than 180 Central Florida singers and a professional orchestra of nearly 50 members.
In addition to their concerts, they hold fundraisers to support their upcoming season, which in 2023 will be their 88th. They have an ongoing fundraiser being conducted through the end of November that will be matched by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Digital Match charitable organization.
“We raised $8,700 for our Jessie Ball duPont Fund Digital Match campaign,” the Society noted. “There are still 3 weeks left to help us raise our goal of $45,000. All donations made via debit or credit card at BachFestivalFlorida.org, Facebook fundraiser, and Instagram fundraising through Nov. 30, 2022 will be matched ‘dollar for dollar.’ Your tax-deductible gift will provide support for our 88th Season.”
Donations should be made online by debit or credit card, since cash and check donations are not eligible for this match, and donors can make multiple donations up to $500 that can be matched.
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright, and author of the book A Christmas Eve Story. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
