Concordia Seminary, St. Louis’ upcoming Bach at the Sem concert will focus on Advent and the Christmas season. The second concert of the 23rd season will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus with a selection of works by J. S. Bach performed by the American Kantorei under Music Director Dr. Maurice Boyer, as well as a chorale prelude by Hugo Distler performed by the Seminary’s Director of Musical Arts James Marriott.

The concert will feature three complete cantatas; Cantata BWV 61, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Now come, Savior of the nations); Cantata BWV 133, Ich freue mich in dir (I rejoice in You); and Cantata BWV 40, Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (For this reason the Son of God appeared). It will conclude with a chorus from BWV 1, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How brightly shines the Morning Star).

“There will be a wide variety of styles showing Bach at his best,” said Boyer. “I hope you will come and hear these wonderful pieces.”

Two more concerts fill out the Bach at the Sem schedule for the 2015-16 season: Feb. 7 and May 15. One highlight includes Bach’s Ascension Oratorio, BWV 11, in May. All concerts begin at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus.

The American Kantorei, the performing group of Bach at the Sem, was founded in 1969 by its first musical director, the Rev. Robert Bergt, a member of the Concordia Seminary faculty. Following a hiatus of some 20 years, the Kantorei was resurrected in 1993 and has since presented to the communities of Concordia Seminary and St. Louis at large more than 100 concerts of Bach’s premier compositions, as well as music of Schütz, Buxtehude, Mendelssohn and other Lutheran composers.

All concerts are free and open to the public. For additional information, please call 314-505-7009, write to brewerm@csl.edu or visit www.csl.edu/bach.

About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. To learn more, visit www.csl.edu.