Upcoming Programs: Crescendo’s 23rd SEASON 2026-2027
Galant Fire—Masterpieces of Venice and Naples
Sacred Italian Baroque Works by Antonio Vivaldi, Leonardo Leo, Antonio Lotti, Baldassare Galuppi, and instrumental works by A. Vivaldi, Antonio Caldara, Francesco Durante. Performers: Crescendo Chorus, Soloists – soprano Caroline Christopher, alto Laura Evans, tenor Kevin Ray, bass-baritone Douglas Williams, and Crescendo Period String Ensemble (Jeremy Zhang-Rhizor, concert master), directed by Christine Gevert
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October 31, 4:00 PM at Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
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November 1, 4:00 PM at Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
The First Spark: Early Celtic & British Airs for the Winter Gateway
An Early Holiday Concert for Chamber Ensemble and Voice. Designed to bring warmth and light into the deepening winter dark, this concert features Zoe Vandermeer (voice/Welsh triple harp), Tricia van Oers (recorders), and Christine Gevert (virginal/organ). The performance interweaves evocative folk tunes with highly sophisticated Renaissance and Baroque music from English, Irish, and Scottish traditions. At the center of the program are masterworks by Renaissance icons like John Dowland and William Byrd, alongside the brilliant Baroque harp melodies of Turlough O’Carolan, and original arrangements of ancient Celtic airs and folk dances by the ensemble. Audiences will join the ensemble for a special sing-along during the timeless classic, Greensleeves.
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December 3, 7:30 PM at Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
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December 4, 7:30 PM at St. John’s Church, Salisbury, CT
A Celtic Wintertide—Echoes of an Early Yuletide
This festive performance interweaves evocative Celtic folk tunes with the highly sophisticated motets of the British Renaissance and Baroque traditions. The Crescendo Chorus will be joined by Zoe Vandermeer (Celtic harp), Tricia van Oers (recorders), and Anne Legêne (viola da gamba), under the direction of Christine Gevert at the organ. Together, they will guide audiences through a seasonal tapestry that spans from the intricate 10-part Renaissance polyphony of Scottish composer Robert Carver’s Mass Dum sacrum mysterium to hauntingly beautiful traditional arrangements like “The Darkest Midnight in December” (a Wexford Carol variant) and the Scottish Gaelic “Tàladh Chriosda,” and early masterworks by Byrd, Ravenscroft, and Aston alongside beloved seasonal standards like “Greensleeves & Scarborough Fair” and “The Holly and the Ivy.”
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December 17, 7:30 PM at St. Paul’s Church, Stockbridge, MA
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December 18, 7:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church*, Hudson, NY
*Please note that First Presbyterian Church is a historic building with stair-only walking access to the performance space.
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December 26, 4:00 PM at St. Andrew’s Church, Kent, CT
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December 27, 4:00 PM at Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
2027 CONCERTS
CHAMBER MUSIC
The Paris Confluence
Marin Marais: Suite I in C, G. P. Telemann: Paris Quartets No. 1 in G & No. 12 in E minor, J. S. Bach: Trio Sonata from The Musical Offering
Edson Scheid, baroque violin | Rodrigo Tarraza, traverso | Robert Eisenstein, viola da gamba | Christine Gevert, harpsichord
March 20, 2027 at 4:00 PM Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
March 21, 2027 at 4:00 PM Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
CHORAL SPRING CONCERT
Sovereign Grandeur—A Triumphant Intertwining of the Purcell “Brothers”, Blow, Weldon, and Eccles
John Blow’s “God Spake Sometime in Visions,” Henry Purcell’s “See Nature Rejoicing” from Come Ye Sons of Art, and excerpts of Daniel Purcell’s, John Weldon’s and John Eccles’s The Judgment of Paris, 1701. With Crescendo Chorus, Soloists, Period Instrument Orchestra.
April 24, 2027 at 4:00 PM Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA
April 25, 2027 at 4:00 PM Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
SOLO RECITAL
Forgotten Voices—Keyboard Music by Early Female Composers of Convents and Courts
Christine Gevert, organ, virginal, harpsichord, performs early keyboard works by Italian, English and French organists and harpsichordists Gracia Baptista, Raffaella Aleotti, Caterina Assandra, Claudia Rusca, Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre and Elisabetta de Gambarini
June 12, 2027 at 4:00 PM Methodist Church, Lakeville, CT
Audition Notice! For Crescendo’s 2026-2027 Choral Season
Are you a choral singer looking for an extraordinary musical experience?
Auditions are now open for Crescendo’s 23rd Season (2026-2027)!
Step into the world of Historically Informed Performance (HIP) under the direction of Christine Gevert. This season offers the unique opportunity to perform grand textures and rare historical treasures alongside expert early music specialists and period instrument orchestras.
Schedule an appointment for an audition by emailing Artistic Director Christine Gevert at christine@crescendomusic.org.
Our 2026–2027 Choral Projects:
FALL: Galant Fire – Striking, theatrical Baroque textures from Venice and Naples (Vivaldi, Lotti, Leo, Galuppi) with period strings.
HOLIDAY: A Celtic Wintertide – Enchanting Renaissance polyphony met with rustic Irish and Scottish folk carols, with harp, recorders, viola da gamba and organ.
SPRING: Sovereign Grandeur – Triumphant, late 17th-century London spectacles by Henry & Daniel Purcell, John Eccles, John Weldon, and John Blow with period instrument orchestra.
Where: Most Rehearsals take place in Lakeville, CT. Concerts are in Lakeville, CT, and Great Barrington, MA, and surrounding towns in CT, MA and NY.
When: Fall rehearsals started in September, 2026, next spring project rehearsals start in January 2027.
Openings: All voice parts, including professional section leaders. Secure your audition spot today!
THE B MINOR MASS – Johann Sebastian Bach as The Architect of Gratitude
Stay tuned for recordings of the five talks and workshops that took place in July and August 2026.
The sessions uncovered some of the hidden secrets of J.S. Bach’s ultimate masterpiece. This five-part series was presented and led by Crescendo’s Founding Artistic Director Christine Gevert. The sessions explored the political intrigue, mathematical codes, and brilliant upcycling that turned this monumental work into a bridge to eternity. 40 Choral singers participated in practical masterclass workshops, applying historical performance practice selected excerpts from the Mass in B minor.
Program:
Talk 1: The “Missa” as a Career Move
Talk 2: The Art of the “Upcycle” (Parody Technique)
Talk 3: The “Symbolum Nicenum” (The Credo)
Talk 4: Styles in Collision (From Renaissance to Galant)
Talk 5: The Final Folder (Sanctus / Agnus Dei) and the Quest for Peace
Choral Singers Workshop 1: Kyrie
Choral Singers Workshop 2: Gloria
Choral Singers Workshop 3: Credo (part 1)
Choral Singers Workshop 4: Credo (part 2)
Choral Singers Workshop 5: Sanctus – Dona nobis pacem
Crescendo At Home
Virtual Concerts On-Demand NOW
Latest recordings:
Recorded: May 11, 2025
Body & Soul: Cavalieri’s Rappresentatione
Recorded: December 29, 2024
Bach-Circle: Christmas Oratorios and Contemporary Female Voices
Recorded: October 6, 2024
Nature in Vivaldi’s Sounds: Concertos for Violin, Flute, and Two Mandolins
Now you can watch Crescendo’s concerts at home at any time with our virtual concert portal – Crescendo at Home!
We want to keep choral and baroque music experiences alive not only during the pandemic, but also for your pleasure, comfort and for anyone who is not able to attend concerts in person.
Recorded in high quality audio by former Carnegie Hall engineer Leszek Wojcik, and filmed in high definition by Charlette Media Productions, we offer you an experience that is similar to being there in person. It even brings you closer to the performers than you ever would in a live concert.
Watch, and share with your family and friends! Subscribe to our e-Newsletter for news on upcoming Crescendo at Home programming.
These concerts have been made possible in part with support from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.
