Montana Early Music Festival 2024: Henry Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia

Join in the March 9 Helena celebration of Musikanten Montana’s 20th season, as the chamber chorus honors Saint Cecilia, the Patroness of music and musicians, in this year’s Montana Early Music Festival concerts. With “Come Ye Sons of Art” (Henry Purcell’s 1694 birthday ode to Queen Mary) as prelude, Purcell’s brilliant Hail! Bright Cecilia celebrates the Airy Violin, the Am’rous Flute and soft Guitar, the noble Organ and more instruments – “which strike the Ear and captivate the Heart.“

Musikanten Montana Artistic Director Kerry Krebill will conduct beloved Baroque band leader Carrie Krause, and an array of trumpets, timpani, oboes, recorders, and strings. Continuo players are Adaiha MacAdam-Somer (gamba), Cyrus Roat (bassoon), John Lenti (theorbo), Wendy Yuen (organ) and Keith Reas (harpsichord). Joining the Festival Chorus are seven vocal soloists, both new friends and familiar MEMF performers Andrea Weidemann (soprano), Anne Kania and Marjorie Bunday (contralto), Dan Hutchings and Kevin Sutton (tenor), Art Bumgardner (baritone) and Matthew Dexter (bass).

Performances are Thursday March 7, 7:30 pm, at Holy Rosary Parish, 220 W. Main, Bozeman; Friday March 8, 7:30 pm, Immaculate Conception Parish, Western Ave. and Caledonia St., Butte; and the home concert Saturday March 9, 7:30 pm at St. Mary Catholic Community, 1700 Missoula Ave., Helena.

Advance tickets are available at Birds & Beasleys and Piccolo Music in Helena ($35 general admission; $15 students), and from Holy Rosary in Bozeman. As always, Musikanten Montana’s Angel Donors (above $100) enjoy reserved seating in the front of the concert halls.