Bach & Friends

(Past) Sun, May 16 at 7:30 pm • Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (Past) Sun, May 23 at 5:30 pm • Leonard Nimoy Thalia (Past) Sun, May 30 at 5:30 pm • Leonard Nimoy Thalia $16; Members $12; Seniors $14 Get two tickets per film, (not per screening), for an entire year for just $100 with a Thalia Film Pass!

World Premiere!

2010. Michael Lawrence. 116 minutes. USA. Color.

“Fascinating. Extraordinary performances. Truly uplifting.” - - Alan Elsner, Huffington Post  
       
 “B R I L L I A N T !” - Richard Saul Wurman, creator of the TED & EG conferences

“Bach on the organ? Of course. On the piano? Certainly. On the cello? Naturally. On the violin? Sure. But Bach on the banjo? The ukelele? The mandolin? How about the glass harp? Or the clarinet, the guitar, and the double bass? And let's not forget a cappella. You hear them all -- brilliantly filmed and recorded -- courtesy of BACH & friends, a gorgeous two-hour documentary by Michael R. Lawrence.” – Jan Herman, Straight Up, Arts Journal

“As beautiful as it is smart. You combined great talkers with top players and managed to connect the clips in a highly engaging and erudite narrative chain. From Glass to PDQ to the Swingles it was a thrill all the way through. Stunning shots of fingers on instruments. And the balance of words versus music was right on; you let the tunes roll long enough to appreciate the music while keeping the storytelling ball rolling.” - Eric Siblin, author of The Cello Suites

“A cross section of artists discuss the composer's place in their creative lives. The result is an entertaining mix of ideas and emotions, along with music-making of a high caliber.
No one could miss the genuine enthusiasm and just plain reverence that the film's participants express. When pianist Simone Dinnerstein says that playing Bach is "as close to religion as I get," she's speaking for many musicians.
Lawrence has achieved so much in his film. By vibrantly exploring and celebrating Bach's hold on today's musicians, "Bach & Friends" makes it clear why the composer will continue to exert just as strong a hold for generations to come.” - Tim Smith, The Baltimore Sun

Today’s finest musicians share their innermost thoughts and personal reflections on the most influential composer in history. Featuring interviews and performances by Joshua Bell (violinist), Bobby McFerrin (singer/conductor), Philip Glass (composer), Béla Fleck (banjoist), Hilary Hahn (violinist), Richard Stoltzman (clarinetist), Edgar Meyer (bassist/composer), Manuel Barrueco (guitarist), Matt Haimovitz (cellist), Simone Dinnerstein (pianist), Chris Thile (mandolinist), Emerson String Quartet, Zuill Bailey (cellist), Felix Hell (concert organist), Ward Swingle, The Swingle Singers, Jake Shimabukuro (ukuleleist), Peter Schickele (PDQ Bach, composer), Dr. Charles J. Limb, MD,  (MRI brain/music researcher), Dr. John Q. Walker (Zenph Studios), João Carlos Martins (pianist, composer), Sid Meier (game designer/CPU Bach),  Tim Page (music critic), Christoph Wolff (author/Bach scholar), Uri Caine (composer, pianist), Andrew Talle (musicologist, Bach scholar), Harlan Brothers (mathematician, composer, Glenn Gould (pianist), Robert Tiso (glass harp), Mike Hawley (pianist), Dr. Anatoly Larkin (pianist, composer), Hilda Huang (pianist).

Enjoy full, unadulterated performances on the 90 minute, post-screening bonus film by:

Felix Hell, concert organist; Fugue in D Major BWV 532
Bobby McFerrin, singer/conductor; Bach Improvisation
Matt Haimovitz, cellist; Prélude, Cello Suite No. 1 (BWV 1007)
Mike Hawley/pianist; Organ Fugue in G Major (BWV 577)
Ward Swingle, The Swingle Singers; Badinerie, Orchestra Suite No. 2 (BWV 1067)
Manuel Barrueco, guitarist; Fugue from Sonata No.1 in G minor (BWV 1000)
John Bayless & Anatoly Larkin Improvisation on Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645)
Edgar Meyer, bassist/composer; Prelude, Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor (BWV 1008)
Simone Dinnerstein, pianist; Variations 13, Goldberg Variations (BWV 988)
Chris Thile, mandolinist; Partita No. 2, Gigue in Dm (BWV 1004)
Richard Stoltzman, clarinetist; Chromatic Fantasy in D minor (BWV 903a)
Béla Fleck, banjoist; Presto, Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor (BWV 1001)
Emerson String Quartet; Art of Fugue, Contrapunctus No. 1, 9 (BWV 1080)
John Bayless, pianist, improviser; Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire/Amazing Grace Improvisation (BWV 147)
Jake Shimabukuro, ukuleleist; Two-Part Invention No. 4 in Dm (BWV 786)
Zuill Bailey, cellist; Allemande, Suite for Solo Cello No. 6 (BWV 1012)
Hilda Huang, pianist; Fugue in D minor (BWV 948)
Joshua Bell, violinist; Chaconne, Partita No. 2 (BWV 1004)