by Frank Nowell, Artistic Director
Welcome to our BCOC website, and to our 2010–2011 season.
This year we celebrate our fifth anniversary, an occasion for me to reflect on our very first concert in November 2005, “The Birth of the Orchestra.” The program’s title had a double meaning, referring to both the origin of the modern orchestra in the late 17th century, and to the genesis of an exciting new period-instrument ensemble in Colorado. From that thrilling beginning, our orchestra has grown as both an ensemble and as a non-profit organization in pursuit of our mission to share with Colorado audiences the musical riches of the Baroque. As we have increased our visibility in the Denver metropolitan area and beyond, the response from a wide variety of music lovers has been heartwarming.
I look forward to celebrating our fifth anniversary with a special program in November. Our season also includes an all-Bach program exhibiting the master’s Italian side, our annual candlelight concert contrasting music from Venice and Versailles, a program of music from the New World, and a season finale that pairs the famous Water Music suite by Handel with a lesser known one by Telemann. I am honored to be joined on stage this year by guest artists Amanda Balestrieri (soprano), Kathryn James Adduci (trumpet), Debra Nagy (oboe), and Daniel Zuluaga (guitar), and also to feature several soloists from within the ensemble. At the heart of our orchestra is the artistry of violinist Cynthia Miller Freivogel, who as concertmaster and soloist shapes BCOC’s musical personality and signature.
Although a key part of our identity as a Baroque orchestra is the music we play, equally important is the way we perform that repertoire. We seek to convey the palpable excitement of live music-making with every performance. We collaborate closely as musicians to bring 17th and 18th century music to life for 21st-century audiences, capturing the spirit of improvisation and spontaneity that was an essential part of Baroque music-making.
I believe strongly that Baroque music, with its passionate virtuosity and expression of a wide range of human emotions, speaks powerfully to our time. The performance of that music is not just focused on the past, but (in the words of Andrew Porter) “represents a living of modern life in the fullest and richest possible way, by experiencing the great heritage of our past as something fresh and alive within us, so that it tunes and tempers our perceptions of the way we look at, listen to, and think about the present.”
With this in mind, please join us this season for our continuing Baroque adventures!
Photo by Michael Kornelsen
