Review: Candlelight potpourri delights

On Friday evening, Feb. 21, the Bach Festival presented an evening of highly varied music in Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College. Selection-after-selection works fine if the selections are individually entertaining as these musical treats surely were. 
As the program opener, Joanne Kong, harpsichordist, played C.P.E. Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor with impressive authority.

Next, the sweet young voices of the Bach Festival Youth Choir performed two melodious pieces by Antonio Vivaldi: “Et Exultavit” and “Esurientes” from “Magnificat.” 
Before intermission, violinist Lara St. John performed the Violin Concerto in A minor by J.S. Bach. St. John’s bright lovely tuneful violin tones, embellished by excellent technique, flowed with unflagging tempi. 
After intermission came an unusual and quite delightful surprise, a Bassoon Concerto in E minor by Antonio Vivaldi, with bassoonist Ashley Heintzen. Heintzen emphasized the Concerto’s jolly tunes with pleasing technique and consummate skill — she stood while she played. 


Two Vivaldi works sung by coloratura soprano Julia Batman followed: Aria “Nulla in Mundo Pax Sincera,” and “Alleluia.” Batman’s light, bright voice brought excellent coloratura and felicitous vocal technique that enhanced the Alleluia’s musicality. 
Violinist Lara St. John returned to close the program with J.S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E major, a work that the violinist played with well-paced tempi and great enthusiasm.

The sure hand of conductor John Sinclair integrated this pleasingly varied evening of potpourri with skill, energy and attention to detail. At the conclusion, a highly pleased audience stood to deliver well-deserved spirited applause.