Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, announces the final Bach at the Sem concert for the season to be held on Sunday, April 26, at 3:00 p.m. in The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus, on the Concordia Seminary campus. The American Kantorei performs Felix Mendelssohn, “Hymn of Praise,” and August Christian Bergt, “Easter Hymn.” Enlarged Chamber Orchestra with choirs from Saint Louis University unite with the Kantorei for these presentations.

David Mulbury serves as guest organist for this concert. He is professor emeritus of organ at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music at Cincinnati University. Mulbury performs Bach, Fantasie in G and Mendelssohn, Sonata III, Movement 1 with the chorale, “Our Father, Who in Heav’n Above” set in six Variations. The congregation, choir and orchestra perform the hymn. The American Kantorei and the guest choirs of Saint Louis University perform August Christian Bergt, Easter Hymn and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Lobgesang Movements, 2 and 4 (Choral Symphony Nº 2). Robert Bergt is the conductor.

An orchestra of 41 professional musicians joins the 76 members of the combined choruses. Soloists are Joy Boland and Jean Baue, soprano; Katharine Lawton Brown, mezzo; Jeral Becker, William Larson and Arie Perry, tenor; Dallas Dubke, baritone.

The American Kantorei is a choral and orchestral ensemble dedicated to the performance of church music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Neoclassical periods. The works of J. S. Bach form the core of its repertoire. Conductor and Music Director Robert Bergt is known as an international Bach scholar who emphasizes the centrality of the chorale in Bach’s music and how it is inseparable from the theology of the Holy Scriptures.

Bach at the Sem is made possible through the generous support of patrons and donors. An offering is taken at each concert in support of the creation and encouragement of fine live performance. Special limited seating within sight of the stage is reserved for school-age music students accompanied by an adult.

Thanks to a generous grant given to our friends at KFUO Radio, the April 26 concert of Bach at the Sem will be recorded for broadcast. The concert will be broadcast on KFUO-FM/CLASSIC 99 (99.1) at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2009.

For more information concerning Bach at the Sem or to be added to the Bach at the Sem mailing list, contact Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-505-7377; or e-mail bach@csl.edu.