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Longtime Berkshire Bach Ensemble member Eugene Drucker takes on directorship of “Bach At New Year’s”
Today is Wednesday December 20, 2017 and you’re listening to Episode #66 of Will Call, our final episode of the show for the year. I’m your host, Jason Velázquez, and I thank you not only for tuning in today, but for being such a fine, fine audience throughout 2017. It has been my treat to share with you news and interviews from the performing arts universe here in the Berkshires. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to find out where 2018 will lead us.
I am so pleased to announce that this episode is sponsored by one of the newest supporters of the Greylock Glass, The Spirit Shop of Williamstown, located at 280 Cole Avenue, purveyors of fine wines, a masterfully curated selection of domestic and imported beers, local hard ciders, and a full range of liquors—if you check your cabinet and find your holiday entertaining supplies lacking, a trip to the Spirit Shop, might just be the solution you’re looking for.
At the top of the show, we heard a clip from Rondeau, one of six contradanses by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by the Berkshire Bach Ensemble, at their 2015 extravaganza, “Bach at New Year’s — A Blast of Brass,” under the direction of Kenneth Cooper. This season inaugurates a season of change for the Berkshire Bach Society. Emerson String Quartet founder and internationally renowned soloist, Eugene Drucker takes the directorship of Berkshire Bach’s time-honored and celebratory “Bach at New Year’s”, as well as performing as featured soloist with the Berkshire Bach Ensemble.
We’re joined this episode by Paula Hatch, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bach Society, to talk about this year’s Bach at New Year’s event and to look forward to 2018.
A Christmas Carol
First though, we had a brief conversation with Travis Daly of Berkshire Theatre Group who directs their beloved community production of A Christmas Carol again this year. And again, tickets are still available for this beloved staging of A Christmas Carol at berkshiretheatregroup.org.
That was a portion of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, played by the Berkshire Bach Ensemble during their 2016 Bach at New Year’s. All six Brandenburg Concerto’s were performed for last year’s holiday spectacular, the final such with Kennth Cooper as director before his retirement. With me now is Berkshire Bach Society executive director Paula Hatch to describe this 2017 event and to fill us in about what’s known of the 2018 season.
Head on over to http://berkshirebach.org/ for tickets and more information. Well, that’s our show for this week. I’ve been your host, Jason Velazquez, and again, I do thank you for listening today, and throughout 2017. I hope you’ll join me next year for another great season covering the performing arts in the Greylock corridor. Take care!
Bach at New Year’s Program 2017-2018
Mozart: Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
William Boyce: Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major for oboes and strings.
Purcell: Chacony and Fantasias; Cebell and Fanfare; The Faerie Queen Prelude and Celebration
William Boyce: Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major for oboes and strings.
Mozart: Violin Concerto in A Major — K. 219 (the Turkish – Drucker soloist)
Bartok: Duos for Two Violins, Sz. 98: New Year’s Greetings
Telemann: Concerto in D Major for Four Violins — TWV 40:202
J.S. Bach: Contrapunctus #9 from The Art of the Fugue.
Mozart-Bach: Five fugues for String Quartet from The Well-Tempered Clavier
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major — BWV 1066
