JOHNNY GANDELSMAN Explores Bach’s Cello Suites

Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series presents the Grammy award winning violinist and producer Johnny Gandelsman performing “A Violinist Explores Bach’s Cello Suites” Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 5:30 pm.   

A pre-concert live interview with Mr. Gandelsman and our Artistic Director, Dr. Robert Cassidy will begin at 5 pm via Zoom.

 “Today we are delighted to announce that Johnny Gandelsman will offer an exclusive presentation of his concert online for us in December,” states Dr. Robert Cassidy. “Also Mr. Gandelsman will be returning to perform a brand new program live at St. Mark’s in 2022.”

On Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 5:30 pm, following his celebrated debut recording of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas which was nominated for a Grammy award, Johnny Gandelsman (Brooklyn Rider, Silkroad Ensemble) will perform a transcendent solo program exploring the depths of three of Bach’s Cello Suites on the violin. The Cello Suites are hailed as some of the most magnificent and profound of Bach’s creations – indeed of all Baroque music.  The Boston Globeraved about Mr. Gandelsman’s February 2020 performance of Bach’s Cello Suites at Kresge Auditorium: “…with the help of his astonishingly fluid technique, he set the music free as music… the music re-discovered its own origins in dance.  And it seemed to speak with the naturalness of a folk song. This was an exquisitely personal vision of Bach, all radical sincerity and glinting light.”

Gandelsman’s musical voice reflects the artistic collaborations he has been part of since moving to the United States. As a founding member of Brooklyn Rider and a member of the Silkroad Ensemble, Johnny has worked closely with such luminaries as Béla Fleck, Martin Hayes, Kayhan Kalhor, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Morris, Anne Sofie Van Otter, Suzanne Vega, Abigail Washburn, and Damian Woetzel. 

The public is invited to watch the live pre-concert interview on Zoom at 5 pm,  and then, at 5:30 pm link to the concert presented on YouTube by going to the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series tab on the St. Mark’s website: smitv.org/syv-concert-series.   

The event is FREE .   However, for those who wish to donate to support future classical performances a Donate button will be available.

To further support the Concert Series presenting great artists at St. Mark’s, Mr. Gandelsman has given the YouTube link to his performance of Bach Cello Suites exclusively to us from December 3 throughout the month of December.  Feel free to share the website address: smitv.org/syv-concert-series.

About St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church:  Formed in 1926 and serving the Santa Ynez Valley at its present location in downtown Los Olivos since 1979, St. Mark’s practices a spacious Christianity and welcomes people of all faiths or none. St. Mark’s is launching the SYV Community Kitchen and serves as a no-fee community center for non-profit groups and community meetings, an arts venue for musical and cultural events, a welcome center for residents and area visitors, and a home to an Episcopal parish. St. Mark’s is also grateful to be home to the area’s Jewish community. St. Mark’s top-flight, non-sectarian professional preschool serves Santa Ynez Valley families with quality early-childhood education. Open doors, restrooms, free Wi-Fi, a shady courtyard, gardens, a labyrinth and water for pets are available for visitors and area residents all day, every day. For more information, please visit www.SMITV.org

PHOTO CAPTION: Johnny Gandelsman, the Grammy award winning violinist and producer will perform an exclusive online benefit concert for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series. Photo Credit – The Boston Globe