J. S. BACH JOHANNESPASSION – 300 YEARS

THE UTRECHT STUDENT CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA (Netherlands)

Conductor: Stijn Berkouwer

Soloists:
Stefan Wouters, Christ (bass)
Dierick Aartsen, Evangelist (tenor)
Valerie Stammet, soprano
Hanno Egger, countertenor
Koen Masteling, tenor
Nico Graat, bass

Programme:
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685—1750), Johannespassion, BWV 245

The Utrecht Student Choir and Orchestra (USKO) is one of the largest and most well-known student music ensembles in the Netherlands. At present the choir and orchestra consist of more than 150 members, mainly Utrecht University and Hogeschool Utrecht tudents. The USKO occupies a unique place within the Dutch music world because of the combination of a relatively large choir and orchestra, the youthfulness and enthusiasm of its members, and high quality performances.

The main objective of the USKO is to imbue students with the will to practice and love for music. Next to first-rate classical music performances, social activities play a major role in USKO’s congruent sound. Each year a one-week rehearsal camp and a 10-day tour are organized, during which members of the corpus develop ties resulting in harmonious performance.

USKO performs three programmes each year. Two consist of a varied (classical) programby well-known composers, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Brahms and Britten, while one is dedicated to the greatest works of J.S. Bach, which have always been at the core of the ensemble’s programmes. Shortly after the foundation of the USKO in 1945, a tradition was started of performing three of Bach’s greatest works in a three-year cycle: the Mass in B-minor, St. Matthew’s Passion and St. John’s Passion. After several concerts in the Netherlands, the Bach project traditionally concludes with an international tour.

This year, 300 years since the first ever performance of Bach’s Johannespassion, the USKO is presenting it on their European tour, you are welcome to attend!

Complimentary tickets, courtesy of GenLan, can be collected an hour before the concert at the venue. Reservations are not possible, spaces are limited.

Organised in collaboration with: