Chatham Baroque announces 2019-20 concert season

In 1969, a group of visionaries in Pittsburgh founded the Renaissance & Baroque Society, which over time became one of the oldest and most revered organizations of its kind in the United States.
Chatham Baroque, meanwhile, has been performing on stages throughout the world for 29 years and has established itself as one of the nation’s most distinguished period ensembles.
These two organizations joined forces in 2018, and today Chatham Baroque announced the second year of two parallel and complementary concert series featuring music that spans a full millennium, from the Middle Ages through the Classical period, a fitting way to honor the 50th anniversary year of Renaissance & Baroque.
A celebration of the milestone will be held in May. Details will be announced at a later date.
Among the concerts on the schedule:
- The Four Nations Ensemble and Chatham Baroque, “Foreign Accents: Sonatas and Cantatas by Bach, Handel and Scarlatti,” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair; 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at Synod Hall, Oakland; and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University.
The Four Nations Ensemble and Chatham Baroque unite to explore works written by some of the Baroque’s most famous vocal composers in languages and styles beyond their homelands. The program features soprano Pascale Beaudin and includes J.S. Bach’s Italianate cantata “Non sa che sia dolore,” Handel’s Spanish cantata “No se emenderá jamás” and French composer Montéclair’s Italian cantata “Morte di Lucretia.”
- Chatham Baroque, “Capriccio Stravagante: Imaginative String Music from the 16th and 17th Centuries,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at St. Nicholas Church, Millvale; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair; 8 p.m. Dec. 9 at Hicks Memorial Chapel, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, East Liberty; and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University.
Celebrate the season with Chatham Baroque and indulge in Arcadian sonic delights with a rollicking, pastoral program including Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto,” Carlo Farina’s ” Capriccio Stravagante,” and 16th-century dance music of Anthony Holborne and Michael Praetorius.
- Chatham Baroque, “The Art of the Trio,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair; 8 p.m. Feb. 15 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church; and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University.
The annual concert celebrates the collective virtuosity, talent and teamwork of artistic directors Andrew Fouts, Patricia Halverson and Scott Pauley as they continue their boundless exploration of chamber music from the Baroque and beyond.
For more information, visit chathambaroque.org.