The season will open with Handel’s ‘Water Music’; December will bring the composer’s ‘Messiah’

By Jim Flint

The Jefferson Baroque Orchestra is sailing into its 32nd season with renewed vigor, a wave of fresh talent, and a clear vision under music director and harpsichordist Abigail Mace.

Now entering her second year at the helm, Mace is steering the Ashland-based ensemble into what promises to be its most ambitious season yet.

“Now in its 32nd season, the JBO continues to be true to its mission to present baroque music in a way that it could have been performed when the ink was still drying on the page,” Mace said.

That commitment to authenticity — and to delighting modern audiences — runs through the orchestra’s four concerts this season, each carefully curated to highlight the breadth, wit and beauty of baroque repertoire.

Concerts will be performed at three venues: St. Mark’s Parish in Medford, Newman United Methodist Church in Grants Pass, and First United Methodist Church in Ashland — some as evening performances and others as matinees. For details and to purchase tickets, visit jeffersonbaroque.org.

Concert 1: ‘Water Music,’ Oct. 3-5

The season opens with George Frideric Handel’s complete “Water Music,” a jubilant collection of suites first performed on the River Thames for King George I. In Ashland, the regal brass and winds — trumpet, horn, oboe, and flute — will shine at center stage.

Mace will also step forward as soloist, performing François Couperin’s “Les Ondes” (The Waves) and Johann Jakob Froberger’s Allemande, written during a harrowing boat crossing of the Rhine.

Concert 2: ‘Messiah,’ Dec. 4-7

Back by popular demand, JBO presents the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah. Last year’s performances sold out, so the orchestra has expanded to four shows this season, two matinees and two evenings.

Each performance will open with Antonio Vivaldi’s sparkling Concerto for Two Trumpets, RV 537. Gil Cline and Tom Dambly are the featured guest soloists.

“In addition to Handel’s ‘Messiah’ we are thrilled to have Gil Cline and Tom Dambly solo in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets, RV 537, which will open the concerts at each venue,” Mace said.

Concert 3: Café Bach, Feb. 27-March 1

Inspired by the weekly coffeehouse concerts that Johann Sebastian Bach led in Leipzig, the Café Bach program blends sophistication with charm.

Highlights include Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, with its monumental harpsichord solo, and his playful “Coffee Cantata,” a satirical ode to caffeine.

Vivaldi’s Cello Concerto will spotlight Michal Palzewicz, known to local audiences as both a gifted soloist and chamber musician. The program also features a rarely performed Sinfonia a cinque by Albinoni.

Adding an international dimension, Rogue Valley native Elana Cooper — now violinist with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra — returns home to serve as guest principal.

Concert 4: Keyboard Fantasy, May 2-3

The season closes with a feast of improvisatory keyboard works in the flamboyant stylus phantasticus tradition, characterized by its free and improvisatory nature. Mace and colleagues will perform music by Frescobaldi, Merulo, Bach, and others, using an array of historical keyboards ranging from clavichords to rare ottavinos and harpsichords of varying sizes.

Audiences will be invited to linger after the concert for an up-close look at the unusual instruments.

“Audiences asked to hear more of the harpsichord last season and we listened,” Mace said.

A growing orchestra

As Mace looks ahead, she sees the Jefferson Baroque Orchestra carving out its place as the leading period ensemble between Eugene and San Francisco. Recent auditions have brought in new instrumentalists and singers. In addition, the orchestra is upgrading its equipment, starting with baroque-style bows for strings.

Financial support has been strong, too. Last season saw record ticket sales, generous private contributions, and major grants from the Oregon Community Foundation and the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation.

“Without this support we would not be able to bring this unique orchestra to audiences in Southern Oregon,” Mace said. “I want to thank the JBO Board, led by Rebecca Bittner, for their tireless work making these projects a reality and keeping the JBO a vibrant ensemble in Southern Oregon!”

For Mace, the growth of the ensemble is about more than logistics. It’s about deepening a relationship with audiences who have embraced the authenticity, vitality, and joy of baroque performance.

“Why have an orchestra that focuses solely on the performance of baroque repertoire, using historical instruments and following performances practices from the time?” she said.  “I believe the answer to this question is simply, because it sounds better! When we perform this repertoire according to the style and practices of the era, that’s when this music truly comes alive.”

Jim Flint’s Curtain Call column publishes on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Jim at jimflint.ashland@yahoo.com.