Woodwinds will wow in first concert of Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival

Woodwinds will take a much-deserved center stage on Sat., Nov. 29, in a 7:30 p.m. concert at the Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave., in downtown Sarasota. Oboist Adam De Sorgo, bassoonist Fernando Traba and cellist Christopher Schnell, with Nicholas Arbolino—all members of the Sarasota Orchestra—will join harpsichordist Julane Rodgers for “Blazing Woodwinds,” a sizzling highlight of the rich and varied sounds of the oboe, bassoon and cello, infused with the delightful notes of the harpsichord.

The program will feature virtuoso music for woodwinds from the Baroque era, highlighted by the fiery Sonata in F by Jan Zelenka. The program will also feature a sonata for oboe by Handel, a sonata for bassoon by Telemann and, to balance the music for woodwinds, a sonata for gamba and harpsichord by J. S. Bach. Redeemer’s Assistant Organist and Contemporary Music Director Daniel Cartlidge will also sing an aria with oboe obbligato from Bach’s Cantata 56.

Nicholas Arbolino joined the Sarasota Orchestra as Second Oboe and English horn in 2014. He has previously performed as the Principal Oboist of the Garland Symphony, Symphony Arlington and the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra in the Greater Dallas area.

Adam De Sorgo is the principal oboe of the Sarasota Orchestra, a member of the Sarasota Wind Quintet and principal oboe of the Utah Festival Opera. He was a fellow in the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas and featured as a guest principal oboist with the Rochester Philharmonic and the Baltimore Symphony.

Fernando Traba, principal bassoon of the Sarasota Orchestra, has served as principal bassoon with all five major orchestras in Mexico City, as well as the Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias in Oviedo, Spain; the National Opera Orchestra in Lisbon, Portugal; and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria in Mexico City.

Christopher Schnell has been assistant principal cello of the Sarasota Orchestra and cellist of the Sarasota Piano Quartet since 1995. In the summer, he is a cellist for The Santa Fe Opera. He has been a member of the Florida Philharmonic and the Milwaukee Symphony, and has also been a frequent substitute for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Julane Rodgers plays harpsichord with the Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival and was harpsichordist for the Dayton Philharmonic and the Dayton Bach Society.

“Blazing Woodwinds” is presented as part of the annual Sarasota-Manatee Bach Festival, created by artistic directors Ann Stephenson-Moe and Richard Benedum. Ticket donations for Blazing Woodwinds are $15 and may be purchased via PayPal at redeemersarasota.org. The concert will be repeated at the Christ Church of Bradenton, 4030 Manatee Ave. W., at 4 p.m. Sun., Nov. 30; for ticketing information for that date, call 941-747-3709.

For more information about the Redeemer performance, visit redeemersarasota.org or call 941-955-4263.