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Please click on the headings below to "jump" to your favorite sections!
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Is there any sound sweeter than 30 recorders gathered together?
While attending a beautiful concert offered the Recorder Workshop participant orchestra this past Friday, I thought about the efforts so many people had undertaken to get to the stage that night. Of course, there were the many conversations throughout the fall and spring between our workshop directors and staff—particularly our indefatigable administrator Stacey Helley—about how to proceed in the face of every twist and turn. At the same time, our workshop directors and faculty worked tirelessly to create interesting and challenging classes for our participants.
All that, though, would have been for nought if no one had showed up. And there were certainly people still reluctant to come, or awaiting a workshop similar to pre-Covid times. But from Hawaii to Washington, D.C., Canada to Southern California, people did show up. Over the course of a week, a unique community shared music and meals, with over seven decades separating our youngest participant from our oldest one.
While the concert was certainly not technically perfect—I don't think I'm offending anyone by saying this—I could honestly say that not one false note was played in all the senses that matter to me. Each phrase was rendered with conviction, enthusiasm, and fellow-feeling. For all workshop participants, I hope that is what resonates as you return to your homes, basking in fond memories and looking forward to new ones next year!
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Best,
Derek Tam, Executive Director
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SFEMS' 46th Season—Season Subscriptions Available TODAY
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The wait is over!
Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available TODAY, July 25, for all patrons! Don't miss out on your chance to get ahead of the crowd and snap up front-row seats to some of the hottest concerts in the early music world.
Encounter two very different sides of fifteenth-century France with Alkemie (“Like a Woman: Finding the Feminine,” Sept. 30–Oct. 2) and Calextone (“Januario,” Dec. 2–4). Escape the familiar with New Esterházy Quartet‘s program of non-European and female composers (“Out of the Canon’s Range,” Nov. 4–6) and Melody of China‘s survey of another side of the globe (“Songs of the Dragon,” Jan. 6–8). Explore the union of rhythm and dance with Archetti & Dance Through Time (“Forbidden Lust…,” Mar. 3–5). And finally, exult in a lavish production of Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo—the first great opera—in a star-studded production from Pacific MusicWorks (Apr. 22–23).
Sept. 30–Oct. 2: Alkemie
Nov. 4–6: New Esterházy Quartet
Dec. 2–4: Calextone
Jan. 6–8: Melody of China
Mar. 3–5: Archetti & Dance Through Time
Apr. 22–23: Pacific MusicWorks
PS—Be sure to add our digital season, Snapshots, to your order!
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BFX Snapshots Still on Sale
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If you were unable to attend the BFX live, or would like a memento of a fantastic week of concerts, this is a great way to enjoy a wide sampling of Festival delights!
For our BFX “Snapshots,” we’ll be bringing highlights from about a dozen main stage concerts to you digitally.
Buy the entire digital package for the low price of $50!
These were recorded live, in high-quality audio and video. If you've already bought the Snapshots, you will be sent them in late July as they become available.
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Call For New
Board Members:
SFEMS Needs YOU!
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You wouldn't want to let Uncle Johann down, now, would you?
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We are deeply grateful to all of our wonderful members, donors, workshop participants, volunteers, and concertgoers, who have done so much to support SFEMS' work in bringing the joy of early music to a wider audience.
Have you ever wondered if there was a way in which you could serve the community in a more active role, while helping to guide SFEMS' future? Happily, the answer is YES: come join our board!
Board members can serve in a number of capacities that support our small (but mighty) staff in their work of expanding the opportunities for people to enjoy early music in the Bay Area—and beyond: you're sure to find something you can do that fits your time, skill sets, and capabilities.
If you are interested, please don't wait to let us know: new board members will be elected at our annual meeting in September.
For more information, visit the SFEMS website, and if you would like to be considered, please contact our board president, Barbara Ruvolo, at barbararuvolo.sfems@gmail.com.
Thank you!
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Rejoin Your Community With One Of Our In-Person Workshops!
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There's still time to join us!
Sign up today for our long-anticipated return to in-person workshops— week-long opportunities for learning and joyous music making in community. We have one more workshop this summer!
(Pro Tip: Be sure to check your membership status for a discount!)
Classical Workshop: August 7–13, 2022
A Tale of Two Cities
School of the Madeleine, Berkeley
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Early Music Corner: Baroque Summer Getaways
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Explore a different facet of the early music world each week!
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Picture yourself here: the courtyard of the Villa Bell'Aria, Sant-Angelo in Colle, Italy.
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Each summer, we dream of packing our bags for a bit of a busman's holiday (especially after being stuck at home for over two years!). The idea of sitting in the courtyard of a winery founded in 1580 sipping a glass of Brunello, or strolling along the charming streets of Carmel or the manicured gardens of a heritage home in France, while listening to the sound of a lute or violins wafting on the breeze, sounds pretty much like our idea of heaven right about now.
Luckily, there's plenty of music to escape to this summer: several Baroque Festivals, both here and abroad, are returning after a long absence to quench your thirst for Early Music. Here's just a few (click on the links for more information):
If you're looking for something closer to home, there's Early Music Vancouver's Bach Festival (Vancouver, British Columbia): July 27–August 5: the Baroque On Beaver Festival (Beaver Island, MI): July 27–August 6: and, of course, just a short drive down the coast, the Carmel Bach Festival is still running (through July 30), in the definitely vacation-worthy town of Carmel.
But if you'd like to range a bit further afield...The Argiano Baroque Music Festival (concerts on August 19 and 26) is held at the stunningly beautiful Villa Bell'Aria winery in Tuscany, Italy. In France, the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie (August 20–27), at Christie (Les Arts Florissants)'s home and gardens in Thiré, Vendée - Pays de la Loire, treats Baroque lovers to a full week of music and verdant beauty. The BBC Proms (July 15–September 10), in the UK, is one of the largest classical music festivals in the world. While the concerts cover every age and style from early to contemporary music, there are certainly many Baroque delights to choose from this season, including a production of Handel's Solomon with The English Concert and the BBC Singers, Bach's B minor Mass performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and a performance of Tallis' Spem in Alium by the Sixteen.
With such a rich tapestry of places to visit and glorious sounds to hear...where would you like to go this summer?
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Our lively Facebook community brings you the latest SFEMS updates, contests, and more! Don't miss out on making new friends, fascinating discussions, and a chance to share the joy of early music!
5,400+ follows and counting!
Thank you, as always, to our new Facebook followers.
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Please note that this is only a summary listing—click on the button below for more information about each concert.
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July 16–31
Valley of the Moon Music Festival: Fantastic Universe
July 26
American Bach Soloists: Classical Genius
July 27
American Bach Soloists: Happy Hour at Herbst
July 28
American Bach Soloists: Bach and Jazz—Blowin' the Blues Away
July 29
American Bach Soloists: Barococo
July 30
American Bach Soloists: Belshazzar
July 30-31
Bowerbird Collective: Life On Land's Edge
July 31
American Bach Soloists: Bach, Barges, and a Burlesque
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Want your early music event featured on the SFEMS Weekly Calendar? Contact us here and online at sfems.org.
To submit a listing, email Communications Manager Heidi Waterman at communications@sfems.org. Please contact us as soon as possible, but no later than the Wednesday before the Monday publication. Listings will be edited for length and clarity.
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