Sunday Baroque

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in March of 1685 into a multigenerational musical family dynasty. Every year Sunday Baroque throws a birthday celebration for the composer. The first installment of the Bach Birthday Bash is this weekend, and includes thrilling performances by a young French guitar virtuoso, and the incomparable cellist Yo-Yo Ma. It’s the Sunday Baroque Bach Birthday Bash this week.

The International Women’s Brass Conference was established to provide opportunities to support and inspire women brass instrumentalists pursuing professional careers in music. It was founded by some early pioneers in the field, and it’s helped paved the way for musicians like trumpeter Alison Balsom. You’ll hear her artistry on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

March 8th is International Women's Day, an annual celebration of the achievements and contributions of women in all fields. This week, Sunday Baroque is celebrating the accomplishments of some top-notch women MUSICIANS. They include baroque-era women composers, as well as leading current-day women conductors. Celebrate women in music on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

Pianist Lara Downes vividly remembers listening to a recording of Glenn Gould playing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations when she was a little girl. It inspired her to become a professional musician! You’ll hear Lara Downes playing some of the music that inspired her so profoundly – it’s on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

Sunday Baroque host Suzanne Bona regularly interviews some of today’s most important and interesting musicians. They include rising stars like flutist Brandon Patrick George and countertenor Reginald Mobley … and acclaimed violinists such as Rachel Podger and Julien Chauvin, who have both founded their own musical ensembles. You can hear performances by ALL of these outstanding musicians on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

With Valentine’s Day coming up next week, Sunday Baroque is featuring some talented musicians who met their life partners thanks to their shared passion for music, including the violin playing co-directors of New York based REBEL Baroque Ensemble, and a husband and wife flute and guitar duo based in Canada. Love is in the air on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

Domenico Gabrielli was a cello virtuoso in the 17th century -- the Bologna-born musician was a member of the prestigious orchestra of the church of San Petronio, and was one of the first to compose music for cello solo. Khari Joyner is a present-day cello virtuoso, and you’ll hear him play one of those cello solos by Gabrielli on Sunday Baroque this week.

Over the years, we’ve learned more and more about composers such as Anna Bon and their music. She was an Italian keyboard virtuosa in the 18th century, who began her musical studies in 1743 at the same Venetian music school where Antonio Vivaldi had taught until only a few years earlier. You’ll hear one of Anna Bon’s keyboard sonatas on Sunday Baroque this weekend.

This Sunday is LUNAR NEW YEAR – also known as CHINESE NEW YEAR -- beginning the Year of the Rabbit. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with family over a meal, along with parades, fireworks, and other festivities. You’re not likely to hear music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and Domenico Scarlatti at traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, but you WILL hear some musicians of Chinese heritage performing their music on Sunday Baroque this week.

French violinist Florence Malgoire is from a family of professional musicians – her mother is flutist France Gombert, and her father is conductor and oboist Jean-Claude Malgoire. Florence has followed in their footsteps as an instrumentalist, and as a conductor, and founder of her own ensemble, Les Dominos. Today’s highlights include Florence Malgoire playing a Sonata by a French woman born 400 years before her – Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre.