New England Bach Festival, Armidale NSW Australia

New England Bach Festival
Artistic Director: Benjamin Thorn

The New England Bach Festival is a biennial event in Armidale NSW Australia dedicated to the best in baroque music with a focus on that of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Armidale, in the northern tablelands of New South Wales, is a city of 24,000 inhabitants, a university (The University of New England), two cathedrals, the New England Regional Art Museum which houses the renowned Howard Hinton Collection and The Museum of Printing and a lively musical life. It was the third City of the Arts in NSW.

The aim of the New England Bach Festival is to bring the best available Australian and overseas baroque performers to Armidale. Recent festivals have also included improvised concerts that pay tribute to that aspect of Bach’s genius.

The Sixth New England Bach Festival - 3rd to 6th May 2012 in Armidale

Four days of the best of baroque music featuring Alchemy, Austral Harmony, Australian Baroque Brass, Warwick Dunham, Peter Hagen, Terrence Hays, Louise King, Jan-Piet Knijff (winner of Lausanne International Organ Competition), Lucid Dance Theatre, Terzina, Stephen Thorneycroft, and more.

Pre-Festival Event
Sunday 29 April Uniting Church 12:30pm
Cantata 49
Entry by donation.

Event 1.
Thursday 3 May Uniting Church 7:30pm
J S Bach and Sons
Peter Hagen (harpsichord)
$30/20(concession)

Event 2.
Thursday 3 May Uniting Church 10pm
Bach Jazz with Warwick Dunham and friends
In conjunction with NECOM.
$15/10(concession)

Event 3.
Friday 4 May Uniting Church 12:30pm
Terzina and Peter Hagen
Three part inventions with young Brisbane string trio and Melbourne harpsichordist Peter Hagen.
$20/15(concession)

Event 3a.
Friday 4 May Uniting Church 5:15pm
Brandenburgs for Duo Piano
Jan-Piet Knijff and Lena Schmalz
All tickets $10 at the door

Event 4.
Friday 4 May Uniting Church 7:30pm
Alchemy
"Inspired by Bach
Brilliant Brisbane based baroque group play music of Bach, his sons, pupils and admirers."
$30/20(concession)

Event 5.
Friday 4. May Uniting Church 10pm
Minimalist Meditations
Meditative music inspired by Bach. Includes new works by Steve Thorneycroft and Benjamin Thorn
In conjunction with NECOM.
$15/10(concession)

Event 6.
Saturday 5 May Hanna’s Arcade 10:30am
The Coffee Cantata
Staged performance of the comic cantata.
FREE EVENT

Event 7.
Saturday 5 May Old Teachers’ College Auditorium 12:30pm
Dancing with Bach
Lucid Dance Theatre (Brisbane) directed by Louise Deleur weave dance magic around Bach solo cello suites played by Louise King.
$20/15(concession)

Event 8.
Saturday 5 May starting from the Uniting Church at 2:30pm
The Armidale Organ Crawl
Jan-Piet Knijff, Warwick Dunham, Terrence Hays and friends.
$30/20(concession)

Event 9.
Saturday 5 May Uniting Church 7:30pm
Austral Harmony
Triptych
Bach trios with UK based baroque oboist Jane Downer, Margaret Caley (violin) and Peter Hagen (harpsichord).
$30/20(concession)

Event 10.
Sunday 6 May Ursuline Chapel 12noon
Cello and Lute
Louise King and Steve Thorneycroft play cello suite 5 and lute suite 3.
$20/15(concession)

Event 11.
Sunday 6 May Uniting Church 2:30pm
Australian Baroque Brass
“Fabulous! You must get them back!”
$30/20(concession)

Event 12
Sunday 6 May St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral 5pm
Festival Evensong
Includes Bach choral works in the context of worship.
FREE EVENT

Tickets available from all New England Mutual branches and Armidale Visitor Information Centre (credit card facilities available) 6770 3888 tourism@armidale.nsw.gov.au

The New England Bach Festival recommends staying at the
Estelle Kramer Motor Inn
113 Barney Street
Armidale NSW 2350
(02) 6772 5200

Enquiries (02) 6772 5889
Email: benjaminthorn@aapt.net.au
www.nebachfestival.com

2008
Hans-Georg Wimmer (Baritone)
Sydney Conservatorium Baroque Ensemble (Director Neal Peres da Costa)
The Tall Poppeas (Vocal Ensemble)
David Drury
Australian Baroque Brass (Natural Trumpets and Timpani)
Ephen Stephen (Guitar Duo)
Stringybark

2006
New Holland Baroque (Orchestra)
Sirius Ensemble (Chamber group)
Fiona Campbell (Mezzo soprano)
Danny Yeadon ('Cello)
Neal Peres da Costa (Harpsichord, Organ)
Australian Baroque Brass (Natural Trumpets and Timpani)
Christopher Wrench (Organ)
Ephen Stephen (Guitar Duo)

2003
Chacona (Ensemble)
Rosalind Halton (Harpsichord)
Rosasolis
Terry Norman (Harpsichord, Organ)
Fiori Musicali (Chamber Choir)
Sergio de Pieri (Organ)
Margaret Caley (Baroque Violin)
Badinerie Players (Ensemble)