Boys choir bringing Bach to Ballarat

LOCAL music lovers are in for a treat when The Australian Boys Choir visits Ballarat to perform J. S. Bach’s St John Passion next month.

The choir will be performing the famed Bach work together with Genesis Baroque at Ballarat Central Uniting Church on Saturday 28 March from 2pm to 4.30pm.

The Australian Boys Choral Institute is presenting the matinee performance of the dramatic St John narrative with a lineup of celebrated guest soloists also featured.

“It’s a very rare performance anywhere around the world,” said the choir’s artistic director Nicholas Dinopoulos, conducting and also singing the part of Jesus during the performance.

“The main aspect is the amazing music being performed by a choir of boys and young men, exactly as Bach had over 300 years ago.

“Coupled with this, our musicians are playing on instruments of the 18th century, or copies of them, to provide a truly authentic experience. For the audience attending, it’s a bit like stepping into a time capsule.

“Our performance will encompass a single work – the gargantuan St John Passion by J.S. Bach. It’s truly one of the Everests of western music.

“There’s all the drama of the Easter story but it’s coupled with the most heart-wrenching music for choir, orchestra and soloists in different combinations. Bach is a very special composer. He really knows how to tug on the heartstrings.

“The boys are one of the few children’s choirs in the Southern Hemisphere who have the skills and training to be able to perform these works as originally intended.”

For Ballarat audiences The Australian Boys Choir has become a regular welcome visitor, bringing concerts to the region over the past decade.

“We absolutely love coming to Ballarat,” Mr Dinopoulos said. “We get here to sing either once or twice a year, coming up on the train from Melbourne, which the boys absolutely love.”

Tickets are through trybooking online with more details through The Australian Boys Choir website.