Bach Cantata Choir B Minor Mass

The Bach Cantata Choir presents J. S. Bach's great masterpiece -- the Mass in B Minor -- 3pm (with a pre-concert lecture at 2pm) at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 1907 NE 45th St. in Portland Oregon.  Ralph Nelson conducts the 50-voice choir, soloists and 15-piece chamber orchestra. 

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his Mass in B Minor in two stages over the course of his life. The "Kyrie" and "Gloria" movements were written in 1733 for the King of Saxony in Dresden.  Then, towards the end of his life, he completed the "Credo," and "Agnus Dei" movements, often drawing on previous material he had composed for his numerous church cantatas.  He also added the a "Sanctus" which he originally wrote in 1724 for a Christmas service in Leipzig, Germany. 

Scored for 5-part chorus, four soloists, and chamber orchestra, the Mass in B Minor contains some of Bach's best compositions. Soloists for this performance will be soprano Arwen Myers, alto Laura Beckel Thoresen, tenor Leslie Green, and bass Jacob Herbert.  This work is a celebration of the choir's 20th anniversary.

The pre-concert lecture (at 2pm-2:45pm) will be presented by Dr. Daniel R. Melamed -- professor emeritus at Indiana University as well as past president of the American Bach Society and author of the book "Listening to Bach: The B Minor Mass and the Christmas Oratorio."  Your ticket to the concert also admits you to the lecture. 

Rose City Park Presbyterian is located in the Hollywood District at the corner of NE 44th St. and NE Sandy Boulevard. The church has an elevator from the parking lot to provide patrons with handicapped access. All tickets are $40 for general admission seating. Doors will open at 1pm to allow patrons to attend the lecture (at 2pm) followed by the concert at 3pm.   Students may purchase $10 at the door on the night of the concert.