Texas Bach Festival Carries on Georgetown’s Classical Music Legacy
For 15 years, the Georgetown Festival of the Arts transported classical music lovers around the world with music ranging from Nordic melodies to Latin American tunes, as well as film screenings, lectures, musician meet-and-greets, and a dazzling display of fireworks. In 2020, organizers planned to bring the music theme home by featuring American composers, until COVID-19 forced them to postpone the festival. “Things didn’t look good for 2021 either,” FOA Artistic Director Ellsworth Peterson says. “We decided this would be a good time to bring our series of festivals to an end.”
The festival’s finale is tentatively set to feature four or five concerts this Fall and next Spring, depending on whether patrons are willing to attend in person. While FOA is coming to an end, its enlightenment of music fans over the years is long lasting. “We have tried to do music that’s reasonably well-known and not well-known at all to help people realize there is much more music available in certain areas than they’re likely to be aware of,” Ellsworth says.
Original Festival Committee Member Florence Gould adds, “What I’ve enjoyed the most about the festival is the excitement of listening to beautiful music from such a variety of composers and performers. Maybe most of all, though, has been the joy of making new friendships that have centered around a shared love of music.”
Visit gtownfestival.org for concert updates.
THE MUSIC PLAYS ON
As the curtain falls on one classical music festival, another will continue serenading Georgetown. “We are now the only classical music festival left in Georgetown,” says Barry Scott Williamson (above), founder and artistic director of the Texas Bach Festival (TBF). “We have a great responsibility to our audience and to Bach.”
When he started talking with other music aficionados about creating a festival that would feature music by Johann Sebastian Bach and other composers, he made sure Ellsworth was on board with the venture. “The Festival of the Arts was still going strong, and they were it as far as classical music goes,” Barry says. “We wanted to start a festival as well, but we didn’t want to usurp any of their ground or compete with them.”
Barry shared his vision with Ellsworth and assured him TBF wouldn’t compete with FOA or drain its audience, since FOA took place in the Spring and TBF would happen in the Summer. “He thought it was a great idea,” Barry says. “[He said,] ‘The more beautiful classical music Georgetown has, the better.’ ”
Now that FOA is wrapping up, Barry hopes Ellsworth will help TBF continue to thrive. “I’d love to get him involved in a way to perpetuate the great work he’s been doing,” Barry says.
BACH 4 MORE
After having to postpone TBF’s 2020 season, Barry decided 2021 was now-or-never for the festival, pandemic or none. “We can’t miss two in a row,” he says. “One way or another, we’re doing this festival. If we have to do it in an empty hall and livestream, that’s okay.”
That plan remains for the fourth annual Bach 4 More festival June 23-27. Five livestreamed concerts will be offered, free of charge, as TBF’s gift to musically starved listeners in Central Texas, although they welcome donations to help make the event a success. Interested viewers must subscribe to TBF’s email list to receive the livestream links. Ticket information will be posted on the website if audiences will be allowed to attend in person; scan the QR code for information and updates.
VIRTUAL GOALS
TBF’s goal of offering concerts mainly in Georgetown didn’t work out this year because of COVID, but since Bach 4 More’s concerts are virtual, it doesn’t matter where they are performed, because “a person in Georgetown can watch it the same way,” Barry says.
That virtual presence came in handy last year after TBF organizers decided to offer additional concerts outside the festival’s summer time frame. In December and March this year, TBF presented two livestreamed concerts. “We didn’t let the pandemic affect that part of the vision. It accelerated that vision,” TBF Chamber Music Director and violist Bruce Williams says. “It’s important to have a virtual presence. It shouldn’t supersede a live audience, but it can help the organization.”
Bruce will play in the Artisan Quartet’s “Beauty in Simplicity” concert on June 24, with the gem of the three-piece performance being Antonín Dvořák’s “American Quartet,” Bruce says. Listeners can enjoy chamber music and piano concerts on the following two nights, leading up to the finale on June 27 that will feature Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion.” The TBF Choir, pianist Rick Rowley, and conductor Barry will tell the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross, his crucifixion, and burial according to the gospel of Matthew. Barry calls it “arguably Bach’s greatest epic, sacred masterpiece. It’s so rarely done because it’s expensive, difficult, and long.”
Those who can’t wait until June 23 can also tune in to TBF’s “Bach 2 the Future” program Fridays at 6pm on Radio Georgetown 106.7 KGTN.
Texas Bach Festival: Bach 4 More
Wednesday, June 23, 8pm “Bach & Friends”
Grace Episcopal Church, Georgetown • Organist David Polley playing music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Philip Moore, Oskar Lindberg, and Niels Gade
Thursday, June 24, 8pm “Beauty in Simplicity”
St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran, Austin • Artisan Quartet performers Patrice Calixte, Caleb Hans Polashek, Bruce Williams, and Douglas Harvey playing music by Joseph Haydn, Samuel Barber, and Antonín Dvořák
Friday, June 25, 8pm “Bach to the Romantics”
St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church • Pianist Toby Blumenthal, violinist Patrice Calixte, violist Bruce Williams and baritone Tim O’Brien playing music by Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms
Saturday, June 26, 8pm “Appassionata”
St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church • Tenor Angelo Ferrari and pianist Rick Rowley playing music by Bach, George Frideric Handel, Gaetano Donizetti, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, and others
Sunday, June 27, 3pm Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion”
St. Martin’s Evangelical Lutheran Church • TBF Choir, conductor Barry Scott Williamson, and pianist Rick Rowley presenting excerpted recitatives, arias, chorales, and choruses from Bach’s rarely heard masterpiece.
All five concerts will be livestreamed, free of charge, as TBF’s gift to Central Texas listeners and communities.
Donations gratefully accepted.