2023 Season

Our 50th season, Powers of Four.

A Rainbow of American Musics

  • Saturday, February 4, 2023 ~ 7:30 pm
  • Holy Cross Church (moved from UCSC Recital Hall)
  • UCSC Chamber Singers, directed by Michael McGushin;
  • Endurance Gospel Quartet of Houston, directed by Mike Robertson
  • Concert Sponsor: Patrick Teverbaugh

Our Golden Anniversary opens with a rainbow of historic musics from all the Americas. UCSC Chamber Singers opens by performing the first printed music to originate in the so-called ‘New World', a 1631 hymn to the Virgin Mary in the Quechua language used by the ancient Incas, Hanacpachap Cuissicuinin, set to Spanish Renaissance style 4-part polyphony by the Franciscan Friar Juan Pérez Bocanegra. Colonial Sacred Harp singing in square format will bring us to the Northern hemisphere. Celebrating Black History month, the renowned prize-winning Endurance Gospel Quartet of Houston will make their triumphant return to our stage with their ‘archival' a cappella brand of gospel. A meet-the artists reception honors donors and season ticket holders.

An on-site meet-the-artists party for fully vaccinated donors and season ticket holders precedes the concert.

The Paris Quartet

  • Saturday, February 25, 2023 ~ 7:30 pm
  • Peace United Church
  • Janet See, Baroque Flute
  • Lisa Weiss, Baroque violin
  • Peter Hallifax, viol
  • Katherine Heater, harpsichord
  • Sponsored by Michael and Susan McKay and Intuitive Surgical

At the beginning of the Baroque, a new style proudly swept aside the equality of parts that characterized Renaissance counterpoint. Any sensuous or jaunty tune supported by a good bass was considered a proper example of Baroque style, yet quite a few composers went considerably further: inspired by the twining vines and flirting butterflies of Springtime, they could not resist writing two lines turning in close harmonic duet over that strong bass, making a suggestive trio.

Our program tells how this sort of trio grew into the quartet during the Baroque through an exploration of masterful music structures in the Baroque for 3 and 4 to play. Music of visionaries and experimentalists including J. S. Bach, G. P. Telemann, and J. P. Rameau are among the favorites this virtuoso ensemble will showcase in a candlelit concert with diverse arrangements, concluding with Telemann's exquisite e minor Paris Quartet.

Concordian Dawn

  • Saturday, March 18, 2023 ~ 7:30 pm
  • Holy Cross Church
  • Christopher Preston Thompson, Director, tenor, Medieval harp
  • Clifton Massey, countertenor
  • David Dickey, countertenor, recorder
  • Thomas McCargar, baritone
  • Niccolo Seligmann, vielle
  • Concert Sponsor: Dean Silvers

In their triumphant return to Santa Cruz, Concordian Dawn, the Medieval music ensemble of New York City, presents seldom performed virtuosic Organum Quadruplum by Pérotin of Nôtre Dame de Paris (±1155 – ±1200) and other 4-part treasures of Medieval music from Ars Antiqua to Ars Nova, assisted by Cappella Pérotinus male voices. A concert by candlelight in a magnificent acoustic and visual space.

Wildcat Viols

  • Sunday, April 16, 2023 ~ 3:00 pm
  • Messiah Lutheran Church
  • Joanna Blendulf, Julie Jeffrey, Annalisa Pappano and Elisabeth Reed, viols

Concert Sponsors: Friends of Lawrence Selman, Marti Edwards Selman, Robert V. Taylor, H. Ernest Fox, RCA O'Neal, Donald K. Wilson, and The Stocker Family Fund of The Community Foundation

As perfectly crafted tonal illusions, Seventeenth Century viol fantasies are a curious and wild ride. Like an ant running over a patchwork quilt toward unknowable destinations, this ‘quixotic' form passes deftly through improvisatory moods and textures, by turns entertaining, distracting, and compelling. Viols, similar to guitars, have six strings, tuned in perfect fourths and major thirds, but are bowed expressively like violins and ‘cellos. For our program, Wildcat Viols celebrates their first album with a complete performance of the Fantazias by Henry Purcell, complete viol sonatas of Giovanni Legrenzi, and selections from Matthew Locke's ‘Magnifick Consort of Four Parts.'

New Esterhazy Quartet

  • Saturday, May 6, 2023 ~ 7:30 pm
  • Holy Cross Church
  • Lisa Weiss and Katy Kyme, Classical violins
  • Anthony Martin, Classical viola,
  • William Skeen, Classical ‘cello
  • Concert Sponsor: Linda Burman-Hall, Brian Johnston, and Michael Tierra

The early music world's foremost Classical string quartet playing contrasting early and late works by the greatest masters of the Classical String Quartet, Franz Josef Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

An on-site meet-the-artists reception follows for fully vaccinated donors and season ticket holders.

Post Season

Music in the Garden

  • Sunday, May 14, 2023 ~ 1:00-5:00 pm

Our special Mother's Day treat will be held in a private Seabright jewel of a garden, brimming with exotic blooms, rare tropical palms, uncommon non-invasive clumping bamboos, and a wide variety of sub- tropical species, all surrounding a large boulder-strewn pond filled with exceptional aquatic plantings.

Join us for gourmet treats to suit all tastes while you relax outdoors sipping fine wines or other beverages, listening to exquisite early and traditional musics.

The Baroque Festival will be following the recommendations of our local Health Department at this fully outdoor event. Masks may be optionally worn.

Emerging Artist Showcase

  • Sunday, May 21, 2023 ~ 7:00 pm
  • Holy Cross Church
  • EAS Sponsor: Dean Silvers

One of the most rewarding pursuits of great artists is discovering young talent — finding the children and young adults blessed with that natural ability to bring music fully to life! Since 2002, our YOUTH CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION has invited talented young artists to compete performing classical and Baroque music.

At our EMERGING ARTISTS SHOWCASE, we award $1000 in prize money to the top three groups in our 5-county area in public concert.Share the joy of discovery with us! Guaranteed to be memorable and inspiring.

Boomeria Organ & Brass Extravaganza

  • Saturday, July 8, 2023 ~ 1:00-5:00 pm
  • Bonny Doon

Our annual celebration of Bastille Day, replete with wine, dance, and music of ages past, the Boomeria Organ and Brass Extravaganza, is not to be missed! Preston Boomer's unique Chapel Royale in the Bonny Doon redwoods houses a large Baroque-style, tracker-action pipe organ, on which expert organists perform their art. Reed Street Brass and the Bonny Doon Baroque consort provide additional musical delights, including Martin Gaskell's Ceremonial Music for Organ and Brass. Costumed Baroque-era dancing adds to the spectacle. Inquisitive minds can satisfy their curiosity about the organ's workings with our ‘organ crawl' into the depths of the beast while in full play. Delicious snacks and fine wines round out the festivities. Proceeds benefit the operations of Santa Cruz Baroque Festival.