The Neuss Chamber Orchestra will travel from Germany to play in concert with Parksville organist Jenny Vincent.
They will combine talents for a performance called ‘Signals of Sensitivity’ at Knox United Church (345 Pym St.) this Mother’s Day on May 12 at 2 p.m.
The concert will feature works by composers of the Empfindsamkeit (or sentimental style) movement, characterized by music intended to convey deep emotions and with sudden contrasts of mood.
One major composer of the era was Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, son of the more famous Johann Sebastian Bach.
“We decided to play this concert by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, who is a very important representative of the so-called ‘Age of Sensitivity’, in the middle of the 18th Century,” said conductor Joachim Neugart.
The program also includes pieces by Mozart and Haydn, who wrote their symphonies in a slightly later period, Neugart added.
‘Symphony No. 29 in A major’ by Mozart is a challenging and enjoyable piece, especially for the orchestra’s horn players, according to Neugart.
“They like to play the higher-pitched tones,” he said. “And coming from this Mozart symphony, I was thinking about Haydn because Hadyn is so big variety and his first symphony actually is like a start up in a new period.”
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The chamber orchestra includes seven violins, two vertical violas, two cellos and one double bass, as well as two local oboe players who will fill in as both Neuss oboists are unable to make the trip due to health reasons.
Vincent will join the orchestra for CPE Bach’s ‘Concerto in E-Flat’ for organ and orchestra. Vincent is widely recognized for her technical musicianship, as well as her interpretation and connection to the pieces performed. Her playing has been described as emotionally expressive and intimately connected.
Neugart has directed the Neuss Chamber Orchestra since 1999. He also conducts the Munsterchor, Capella Quirina and the Schoenhausen-Choir in Krefeld. He is also known for his organ playing and improvisational skills.
A choral conductor, organist and church musician, Neugart began studying the organ at the age of 16. He is interested in modern organ music, as well as the works of classical composers like Bach.
The Neuss Chamber Orchestra was created in 1957 to encourage and develop the skills of local talented musicians. The ensemble particularly pursues this aim by participating in the Young Neuss Artists Concert Series. Since its inception more than 240 soloists have been presented to the public. The orchestra has toured throughout Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the U.S.
The concert in Parksville will be Neugart and the Neuss Chamber Orchestra’s first trip to Vancouver Island. They will also perform in Victoria and in the U.S.
Tickets are $30 and are available at the Mulberry Bush Bookstore in Qualicum Beach and the Sea & Summit Book Shop in Parksville, as well as online at Eventbrite.