Abbey Bach Festival
Thank you for celebrating Bach on the Hilltop!
We are so grateful to all who came to this year’s Abbey Bach Festival. Each evening was filled with beauty, fellowship, and the opportunity to welcome many longtime friends and make new connections as well. Please enjoy and share photos of the festival posted on Flickr.
Please mark your calendars for the
54th annual Abbey Bach Festival
July 23, 24, 25 of 2025
A note from Artistic Director Alon Goldstein
We had a very exciting program for the 2024 Abbey Bach Festival. Johann Sebastian Bach has influenced composers and musicians throughout Western music for more than 300 years. I hope you enjoyed some of the many surprises our musicians brought to their performances. Mark your calendar now so you can join us next summer on this beautiful Willamette Valley hilltop for an evening with Bach concerts in the church, a delicious picnic buffet, and feature concerts celebrating Bach’s influence.
Artistic Director Alon Goldstein is one of the most original and sensitive pianists of his generation, admired for his musical intelligence, dynamic personality, artistic vision and innovative programming. A student of Leon Fleisher, he brings his superb piano skills and artistic vision to the Abbey Bach Festival. Learn more about Mr. Goldstein.
Daily Festival Schedule
5:20 pm Vespers
6 pm Church concert
6:30 pm Picnic buffet supper
8 pm Feature concert
A Summer Dash: Bach – Mozart – Gershwin
Church & Feature Performance Schedule
2024 Abbey Bach Festival
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Wednesday | July 24 | 8 pm – Fine Arts Quartet
6 pm Church concert
Ron Selka, clarinet, and Alon Goldstein, piano
- Johannes Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Adagio from Concerto in D minor BWV 1059R - Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
3 pieces for solo clarinet - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Wie Melodien Zieht es Mir op. 105 no. 1
Auf dem Kirchhofe op. 105 No. 4 - Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Sonata for clarinet and piano (1962)
1. Allegro tristamente
2. Romanza
3. Allegro con fuoco
8 pm Feature concert
Goldstein performs two Mozart Concertos
Artistic director Alon Goldstein is joined by the renowned Fine Arts Quartet to play two Mozart Concertos, the rarely performed 18 and the exquisite 22 in a program that begins with a very popular Johannes Sebastian Bach’s Partita no. 2.- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Partita no. 2 in C minor, BWV 826
I. Sinfonia
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Rondeau
VI. Capriccio - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Piano concerto no. 18 in B-flat major, K.456
I. Allegro vivace
II. Andante
III. Allegro vivace
INTERMISSION
- W.A. Mozart
Piano concerto no. 22 in E-flat major, K. 482
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro
- Johannes Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
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Thursday | July 25 | 8 pm – Fine Arts Quartet with Ron Selka, clarinet
6 pm Church concert
In Mulieribus
… women’s vocal ensemble specializing in works written before 1750 and championing new repertoire by women composers and for women’s voices.Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
O viridissima virga (ca. 1151)Ivan Moody (b. 1964)
O quam mirabilis est (2006)Joanne Metcalf (b. 1958)
Shining Light (2009)Jennifer Higdon (b. 1963)
A Quiet Moment (1999)Alexander Campkin (b. 1984)
I Saw Eternity (2010)Cecilia McDowall (b. 1951)
Regina Caeli (2004)attrib. Leonora D’Este (1515 – 1575)
Haec dies (1543)
8 pm Feature concert
Selka and the Fine Arts Quartet perform the Mozart Clarinet Quintet
Ron Selka, principal clarinetist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, joins the gold-plated Fine Arts Quartet in the Mozart’s famous Clarinet Quintet in a program that begins with a Philip Glass String Quartet and ends with Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet no. 3
Philip Glass (1937-)
String Quartet no. 2 (Company)I. Quarter note = 96
II. Quarter note = 160
III. Quarter note = 96
IV. Quarter note = 160Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581- Allegro
- Larghetto
- Menuetto
- Allegretto con variazioni
INTERMISSION
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 44, No. 1Molto allegro vivace
Menuetto: Un poco Allegretto
Andante espressivo ma con moto
Presto con brio-
Friday | July 26 | 8 pm – Guy Mintus Trio
6 pm Church concert
James Welch, organ
- Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV 731
- Prelude in B minor, BWV 544
- Andante, from Sonata in E minor, BWV 528
- Prelude in F minor, BWV 881
- Allegro, from Concerto in G major, BWV 592
- Bist du bei mir, BWV 508
- Toccata in F major, BWV 540
8 pm Feature concert
Guy Mintus Trio invites you on a journey through Bach – Beethoven – Gershwin & Mintus
An adventurous musical evening that merges classical and jazz!Selections from:
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude in C major, BWV 846Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Waltz in D-flat major (Minute Waltz) Op. 64, No. 1Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata No. 8 (Sonata Pathétique) in C minor, Op. 13Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Concerto no. 21, 2nd movementGeorge Gershwin (1898-1937)
Someone to Watch Over MeG. Gershwin
SummertimeNeomi Shemer (1930-2004)
Ani GitaraGuy Mintus
Little SpellG. Mintus
LevG. Mintus
Our Journey TogetherGuy Mintus, piano
Philippe Lemm, drums
Dan Pappalardo, bass-
Saturday | July 27 | 10:30 – Children's Concert
Join us for the premiere of the Abbey Bach Festival Children’s Concert!
Artistic Director Alon Goldstein and jazz performer Guy Mintus and the Guy Mintus Trio will present a short concert developed especially for children and youth. Following the concert, children will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the musicians. Snacks will be offered.
Alon Goldstein – pianist
Guy Mintus Trio – piano, drums, bass- 10:30 am – Children’s concert
- 11 am – Meet the musicians and their instruments
- 11:30 am – Enjoy a snack with the musicians
Tickets:
$10 each (adults and children 6 years and up)
$30 family pass (any combination of 3 or more tickets, intended for families)Please note: Children and youth under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.