Jürgen Hirt, the founder and bassoonist of the ensemble, says that the idea for the group emerged after he graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno. 'I sat down with my bassoon professor, and he suggested that I start either a project or schedule a recital, just something to keep me going with music as I don't do music primarily as my main career. I came up with this idea because I really love and enjoy Baroque music, and Reno doesn't really have any ensembles that do solely Baroque repertoire.'
The Baroque era, which lasted from 1600 to 1750, includes composers like Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach. The music of that time remains popular with audiences. 'I feel that Baroque music really speaks to humans well,' continues Hirt, 'because a lot of the time it has a rhythm to it, or a feeling or sense of it just hits your soul.'
Among the pieces featured in the Sierra Nevada Baroque Ensemble's concert is Winter, from Antonio Vivaldi's famous The Four Seasons. The violin soloist will be Sarah Coyl, who is also a member of the Reno Philharmonic and Reno Chamber Orchestra and who is, in Hirt's words, 'an amazing soloist, and it's definitely something you won't want to miss.'
Also on the program is a section from the Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach. 'There are six parts,' says Hirt, 'and they were originally written for each Sunday preceding Christmas. We are playing part one … which was meant to be played on Christmas Day, and it's about the story of the nativity scene and the birth of Jesus. We are collaborating with the Great Basin Chorale started by Brittney May.'
The concerts of the Sierra Nevada Baroque Ensemble are free of charge. 'We do accept donations at the end,' says Hirt. 'All of the musicians volunteer their time for this. We're all musicians who just want to bring Baroque music to Reno … that's how we get paid, by the joy and fulfillment of playing this Baroque music together.'
The Winter Concert of the Sierra Nevada Baroque Ensemble is on Monday, December 22 at 6:00 p.m. at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Reno. More information can be found at the Sierra Nevada Baroque Ensemble's Facebook and Instagram pages.
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Support for 'Arts on the Airwaves' comes from The Nevada Arts Council… a state agency that provides public funding and support to artists and organizations, that benefit Nevadans in cities and rural communities statewide. More at NVArtsCouncil.org.
