JULIANNE BAIRD AND DANN COAKWELL TO PERFORM ST. JOHN PASSION WITH SOMERSET HILLS COMMUNITY CHORUS

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Stephen Sands, the Somerset Hills Community Chorus along with award-winning soloists and Baroque Orchestra will be performing J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion on Sunday March 22, 2015 at 2pm. The concert will be held at St. Mary’s Abbey at Delbarton School in Mendham, New Jersey. Special lighting effects and supertitles providing translations throughout the work will be provided for an enhanced musical experience. Julianne Baird, soprano, and Dann Coakwell as the Evangelist will be featured soloists.

Soprano soloist Julianne Baird is a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in Camden and an active performer with a glittering career in baroque opera and oratorio. Specializing in Bach’s Evangelist roles, Dann Coakwell is a sought-after international performer of Bach and Handel, an enthusiast of Benjamin Britten’s works, and recently debuted at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Members of The Sebastians, an ensemble that specializes in baroque and classical music, will comprise the accompanying orchestra.

This concert is presented by Music in the Somerset Hills which is an organization dedicated to education, artistry and community through music. Its mission is to provide musical experiences of the highest quality to those who live and work in the Somerset Hills and the surrounding communities. The 2014-15 concert series consists of seven concerts, all at local venues, and all of them featuring distinguished musicians. In October, Julianne Baird sang a special program at MISH’s annual gala at Trump International Golf Club in Bedminster. In December, the Somerset Hills Community Chorus gave a Christmas concert that included John Rutter’s Gloria and other holiday works. Other concerts have presented solo and small ensemble musicians.

The St. John Passion will be presented at Delbarton School located at 230 Mendham Road, Morristown, New Jersey. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for seniors (65+), $20 for adult general admission, $30 for Reserved seating and $50 for Angel Donor preferred seating. To order tickets online, visit:MusicSH.org/Concerts, or call us at 973-339-7719. More information about the featured soloists can be found at: www.juliannebaird.com andwww.danncoakwell.com.

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