Bowling Green State University will warm up a cold winter’s evening with a stirring performance by
Apollo’s Fire.
The highly regarded baroque orchestra from Cleveland will present “A Night in Bach’s Coffeehouse” as the
2019 Dorothy E. and DuWayne H. Hansen Musical Arts Series artists in residence at the College of Musical
Arts.
The free public performance will begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 6 in Kobacker Hall in the Moore Musical Arts
Center.
Inspired by the lively coffeehouse concerts led by J.S. Bach in 18th-century Leipzig, the program
promises an evening of virtuosity, performing the music of Bach and his colleagues. Founded and directed
by harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell, Apollo’s Fire is dedicated to the baroque ideal that music should
evoke the passions in listeners. Sorrell named the ensemble after the classical god of music and the
sun, and its members share her commitment to communicating deeply with audiences through music.
The ensemble’s Carnegie Hall debut sold out, and its American and European tour appearances have been
critically acclaimed, selling out at Tanglewood, in Madrid and the BBS Proms in London. Its subscription
series in Cleveland is noted for creative programming, and eight of its more than 25 CDs have become
best sellers on the classical Billboard chart.
“I’ve followed Apollo’s Fire since their beginning, about a year after I came to BGSU,” said Dr. Mary
Natvig, a professor of musicology, composition and theory who specializes in early music. “I have many
of their CDs and have heard them in concert several times. It’s unbelievable that a baroque orchestra of
this renown is so close to us. And absolutely wonderful that they are finally coming to BGSU. Our
students and the community as a whole will be blown away by them.”
In addition to their public performance, Apollo’s Fire members will work with BGSU musical arts students
and conduct master classes during their Feb. 5-7 stay at BGSU. The public is invited to open rehearsals
at 2:15 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 in Kobacker Hall.
View a complete schedule of their residency at http://www.bgsu.edu/hansenseries.
The Hansens established the series fund in 1996 to bring to the campus and the Bowling Green community
significant representatives of the musical arts to share their talents with undergraduate and graduate
students in the College of Musical Arts and with residents of the community. Dorothy Hansen is an alumna
of the College of Musical Arts, while DuWayne Hansen is a former chair of the Department of Music
Education.