The Sebastians Close Season with All Strings, No Bach

THE SEBASTIANS CLOSE SEASON WITH ALL STRINGS, NO BACH

Saturday, May 10, at 5PM at Brick Presbyterian Church 

Concerti by Handel, Galuppi, Telemann, and More

Chamber Orchestra Comprised of Over a Dozen of Today’s Leading Early Music Specialists 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  | New York, NY (March 18, 2025) – New York, NY — The Sebastians conclude their 2024–25 season with a thrilling departure from their namesake, presenting All Strings, No Bach on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 5PM in the grand sanctuary of Brick Presbyterian Church. This exhilarating program showcases the brilliance of the concerto grosso, with virtuosic string works by Corelli, Vivaldi, Handel, Galuppi, and Telemann, performed by over a dozen of the country’s finest Baroque specialists and led by Artistic Director Jeffrey Grossman.

The program celebrates contemporaries of Bach, offering a dazzling showcase of intricate interplay and expressive depth. Highlights include Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins and Cello in B minor, RV 580, where the virtuosity of multiple soloists dances in harmony with the ensemble, exemplifying the intricate, lively dialogues that are a hallmark of the Baroque concerto. Handel’s Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 11 (1739) showcases Handel’s skill in moments of both lyrical beauty and energetic vibrancy, particularly through its shifting moods across its four contrasting movements. Telemann’s Sinfonia Spirituosa in D Major fuses the Baroque chaconne model with early Classical sonata form, culminating in a vigorating, dance-like finale that evokes the joyous rhythmic gestures of Neapolitan composers like Pergolesi. The ensemble of acclaimed historical performance specialists will bring these masterpieces to life with verve and period insight. Following the event, All Strings, No Bach will be available at the Sebastians’ Digital Concert Hall. 

“We are so grateful to Ray Nagem and Brick Church’s leadership for welcoming the Sebastians since 2023,” said Grossman. “The chapel’s intimacy is ideal for chamber music, while the sanctuary’s grandeur elevates the Baroque orchestral experience. Performing at Brick, with its rich history and spiritual aura, makes each concert a uniquely special occasion. Our season finale, All Strings, No Bach, will be an explosion of virtuosic violin concerti—our dueling violins will make a joyful noise in Brick’s glorious sanctuary!” 

In advance of their season finale, The Sebastians team up with Concert Theatre Works and Chatham Baroque on Sunday, April 14 at 4PM for the world premiere of Bach’s long-lost St. Mark Passion, as reconstructed by musicologist Malcolm Bruno – presented by Music before 1800 at Corpus Christi Church in uptown Manhattan. Featuring music direction by Jeffrey Grossman, stage direction by Bill Barclay, and an ensemble of fourteen players and four singers with iconic actor Joseph Marcell (Royal Shakespeare Company, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) as the Evangelist, this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event is not to be missed.

This season is generously supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, as well as, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Concert Information:

All Strings, No Bach
Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 5PM
The Chapel of Brick Presbyterian Church, 1140 Park Ave., New York
Link: https://www.sebastians.org/event/all-strings-no-bach/

Program:

Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713)
Concerto grosso, op. 6, no. 3 in C minor
Baldassare Galuppi (1706–1785)
Concerto a quattro in G minor, IBG 22
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Concerto grosso in A major, op. 6, no. 11, HWV 329
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)
Sinfonia Spirituosa in D major, TWV 44:1
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Concerto for violin in G major, RV 308
Concerto for four violins and cello in B minor, RV 580

Artists:

Lydia Becker, Nicholas DiEugenio, Daniel Lee, Isabelle Seula Lee, Kako Miura, Rebecca Nelson, Shelby Yamin, violin
Jessica Troy, Alissa Smith, viola
Ezra Seltzer, Sarah Stone, violoncello
Nathaniel Chase, contrabass
Adam Cockerham, theorbo and guitar
Jeffrey Grossman, harpsichord

Tickets:
Tickets are available at sebastians.org: In-person digital: $40–$100; Digital only: $20. Students of any age can attend concerts for free by emailing music@sebastians.org (limited availability); For those who would like to attend concerts but cannot afford a ticket, community comp tickets can be requested by emailing music@sebastians.org (limited availability). 

About the Sebastians

The Sebastians are a dynamic and vital musical ensemble specializing in music of the baroque and classical eras. Lauded as “everywhere sharp-edged and engaging” (The New York Times), the Sebastians have also been praised for their “well-thought-out articulation and phrasing” (Early Music Review) and “elegant string playing… immaculate in tuning and balance” (Early Music Today). Their 2018 unconducted St. Matthew Passion with TENET Vocal Arts was called “shattering” and “a performance of uncommon naturalness and transparency.” The Sebastians’ recent seasons have included dozens of originally conceived programs, including collaborations with poets, choreographers, and actors; a musical installation in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; programs dealing with musical “immigration” and nationalism; and major works of J.S. Bach led from the keyboard. The Sebastians are currently in residence at the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments.

About Brick Church’s Music Series
Brick Church’s Worship & Arts program is at the heart of its spiritual life, blending sacred and classical music to inspire both congregation and community. Led by Dr. Raymond Nagem, the program features the Chancel Choir, cherished traditions like Lessons & Carols and Cantata Sundays, and world-class guest artists.

The church’s Casavant organ takes center stage in performances by renowned organists, showcasing the grandeur of this magnificent instrument. Collaborations with esteemed ensembles like The Sebastians bring historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical masterworks, deepening the church’s rich musical legacy.

With choral offerings, organ recitals, and innovative concerts, Brick Church remains a vibrant home for music, faith, and artistic excellence.

About Jeffrey Grossman
Keyboardist and conductor Jeffrey Grossman specializes in vital, engaging performances of music of the past, through processes that are intensely collaborative and historically informed. As the artistic director of the acclaimed baroque ensemble the Sebastians, in recent seasons Jeffrey has directed concerts including Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions and Handel’s Messiah from the organ and harpsichord, in collaboration with TENET Vocal Artists, and he is a frequent performer with TENET, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and numerous other ensembles across the country. Recent seasons include his conducting operas of Haydn and Handel with Juilliard Opera, leading Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 with the Green Mountain Project in New York and Venice, and conducting a workshop of a new Vivaldi pastiche opera for the Metropolitan Opera. As musical director for the 2023 and 2019 Boston Early Music Festival Young Artists Training Program, he conducted Jacquet de La Guerre’s Cephale et Procris and Handel’s Orlando from the harpsichord. For thirteen seasons, he toured portions of the rural United States with artists of the Piatigorsky Foundation, performing outreach concerts to underserved communities. Jeffrey can be heard on the Avie, Gothic, Naxos, Albany, Soundspells, Métier, and MSR Classics record labels. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he holds degrees from Harvard College, the Juilliard School, and Carnegie Mellon University. Jeffrey teaches performance practice at Yale University.

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