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Detailed Information
 

Helmuth Rilling

The Philadelphia Bach Institute consists of four components:

Conducting Master Classes and Public Performances

Six conductors, chosen by audition, will conduct the Institute's chorus and orchestra during sessions on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, assisted and guided by Mr. Rilling. Following the master class, conductors will work with a private conducting coach and observe a DVD of their rehearsals. These conductors will conduct a public performance at the conclusion of each day's events.

The following individuals have been accepted as master class conductors:
Jeff Buettner (VT)
Stephen Caldwell (PA)
Troy Quinn (RI)
Timothy Reno (MD)
Beverly Shangkuan (CT)
Bryan Zaros (CT)

Alternates
Max Blum (CT)
Matthew Travis (PA)

Repertoire:

J.S. Bach, BWV 226 - Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf (3 conductors)
J.S. Bach, BWV 225 - Singet dem Herrn (3 conductors)

Auditors will be active participants and observers in the master classes, examining the historical, theological, and structural contexts of the motets as well as current performance practice issues.

Bärenreiter editions of the two motets will be used. Ordering information will be supplied to registrants.

The Institute's choirs-in-residence are the University of Maryland Chamber Singers (Edward Maclary, conductor) and the University of Delaware Chorale (Paul Head, conductor).
 

Presentations and Discussions

On Tuesday afternoon, Lawrence Doebler of Ithaca College will present a session for Institute participants entitled:
"Internalizing the Music and Structure of the Motets of Bach Through Dalcroze Eurhythmics."
 
Meter in Bach motets, like most of his output, is determined by the accent of the text. This is difficult to realize from our modern barred scores. Structure is made clear and performance is enhanced when the musicians perform these 'new' meters. Reinforcing this knowledge of the score through movement will kinesthetically secure the intended musical flow of the line and ensure that the audience will more easily understand, without being aware of the complexity in the score.

In addition to this session, Mr. Rilling will present a short lecture on each motet prior to the public performances on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also, a one-hour question/answer session has been scheduled for Thursday morning, designed specifically for student conductors. Open to all Institute and Eastern Division Conference registrants, questions for this session will be submitted in advance.

Conductor's Chorus

In a rare opportunity, all Institute registrants will gather in rehearsal on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons to sing under the baton of Mr. Rilling. They will be some of the first in the country to be introduced to choruses from Sven-David Sandstrom's Messiah.

The Conductor's Chorus will serve as the demonstration choir for Mr. Rilling's Friday afternoon presentation to the Eastern Division conference regarding these new oratorios and the commissioning process.

Participants will be responsible for the purchase of these scores. Ordering information will be supplied to registrants.

St. Pierre HeadshotDonald St. Pierre
Composer-in-Residence
Rehearsal Accompanist
Since 1990, on Curtis Institute faculty as voice and opera coach. Teaches diction for singers at Temple. Head coach for voice department at Chautauqua Summer Institution in NY.

Rehearsal Observation

Institute participants will be invited to view rehearsals conducted by Helmuth Rilling as he prepares two Eastern Division collegiate choirs, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, soloists, and organist for a public performance at Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall on Friday evening, February 12. These rehearsals are presently scheduled for Thursday evening and Friday morning.

The all-Bach program is designed to feature the Kimmel Center's magnificent organ and the combined forces of the Westminster Choir and Temple University Concert Choir.

Repertoire:

BWV 29 - Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir
BWV 146 - Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal in das Reich Gottes eingehen
BWV 243 - Magnificat

For further information, please contact:
Robert Duff
Robert.P.D.Duff@dartmouth.edu
603-646-3414

General Information
Detailed Information
Schedule
Artistic Staff
Conducting Applications closed

Last revised June 26, 2010