The May Festival Youth Chorus, under the leadership of James Bagwell, will join the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas for a Easter Bach Vespers on Sunday, April 22, 5:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church
The MFYC will sing a choral prelude to the service, and will join with the BEST in presenting J. S. Bach’s Cantata 112, Der Herr its main getreuer Hirt (“The Lord is my faithful Shepherd”). The cantata was originally performed in Leipzig in April of 1731, and is a reflection on two biblical readings of Jesus in the image of a shepherd. The pastoral nature of the piece is enhanced with horns and oboes d’amore.
Prior to the service, there will be a pre-Vespers lecture in the church parlor with Xavier faculty member Douglas Easterling, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The May Festival Youth Chorus, was organized in 1987 to give high school students the opportunity to rehearse and perform challenging choral music in a highly stimulating artistic environment. The group, sponsored by the Scripps Howard Foundation, rehearses weekly and performs annually on several area concert series and the Cincinnati May Festival.
In addition to annual events, the May Festival Youth Chorus performs frequently with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops. Many students also sing with adult May Festival Chorus members at seasonal Riverbend Concerts. In 2007 the Youth Chorus was featured onFrom the Top, the preeminent showcase for America’s best young musicians on NPR and PBS.
The Bach Ensemble at St. Thomas 