Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
Camarata Music prepares to celebrate Christmas with Bach
Camarata Music is finishing off its "Three Bs of Germany" concert series of 2024, with its Christmas with Camarata concert on Dec. 7, featuring Bach's "Christmas Oratorio."
The Christmas concert is the biggest event of the year for Camarata Music, Korea's largest international nonprofit music organization.
Earlier this year, Camarata featured a spring concert with Beethoven's music and celebrated summer with Brahms. With this latest concert featuring Bach, they've gone through the "Three Bs."
The poster for the "Christmas with Camarata" concert featuring Bach / Courtesy of Camarata Music
By Jon Dunbar
The concert will feature the Camarata Chorale and Orchestra and soloists, conducted by Ryan Goessl, resident conductor and artistic director of Camarata Music.
"Bach is the master of the Baroque period," Goessl told The Korea Times. "He was a humble church musician his entire life but is considered as the father of the fugue, and many of his major works are ranked as the best written of all time. Because of Bach, we have the music that we have today."
As well as Bach's music, the concert will also feature other holiday favorites, including "Wexford Carol" and the "Hallelujah Chorus."
The concert will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Yedarm Church in northeastern Seoul's Seongbuk District. Tickets cost 25,000 won ($17.8) in advance or 35,000 won at the door.
Visit camaratamusic.org for more information or to purchase tickets, and contact info@camaratamusic.com to join.
"No experience is necessary!" Goessl said. "We take everyone from the beginning shower-singer to the seasoned veteran!"