It’s a global event but it will be locally observed in downtown Vacaville at a perk-up-your-ears happening.
Bach in the Subways, featuring thousands of musicians worldwide — in subways, parks, cafés, zoos, other public spaces — begins at 1:30 p.m. March 24 in the old Carnegie Library courtyard, 300 Main St.
Music teacher, performer and educator Alina Adams and her students will join the international event “to put classical music where the people are.” The hope is to cultivate new generations of listeners and players via the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, she said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
For the fifth time in as many years, Alina’s Music Studio students, young and older ones — “Who are very passionate about their instruments and music they play,” she said in a written statement — will perform violin solos, duets, quintets and ensembles. The concert is free.
Performed on string instruments only, the all-Bach program includes Double Concerto for 2 violins in D minor; Minuet in G; some chorales, Aria in A major; and the Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1, adapted for violin.
Adams, a native of Vinnitsya, Ukraine, and the former assistant concertmaster with the Solano Symphony, first heard about the event some six years ago and contacted its New York City-based organizers.
“I signed up to do that, I registered the event, we are official,” she quipped.
Her student ensemble first performed in the Nut Tree Shopping Center and drew “good crowds,” said Adams, adding that the music, however, competed with the sound of the mini No. 5 train in that part of the shopping plaza.
Many musicians consider Bach, born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany, to be the greatest composer of all time. Adams called him “the father of classical music.”
“All classical composers study his music and learned how to compose,” she said, noting that, in his time, Bach was better known as a virtuoso organist. “He established the rules of structure of everything. He’s like a god of classical music.”
Bach’s compositions — sacred music, organ and choral works and other instrumental music — are graced with a freedom and considerable rigor, said Adams.
“He put everything in a certain place” and his compositions were “always ordered,” she added.
Some of his best-known works include “Brandenburg Concertos”; the “Goldberg Variations” and “The Well-Tempered Clavier” for keyboard; organ works such as the “Schubler Chorales” and Toccata and Fugue in D minor; and choral works such as the “St. Matthew Passion” and the Mass in B minor.
“I think Bach had a direct line to God,” said Adams. “And his music is so modern.”
True. Famous musical groups such as The Doors and The Band incorporated Bach keyboard melodies and structure in “Light My Fire” and “Chest Fever,” respectively.
“He’s still cited by many musicians, including modern rock ‘n’ roll groups,” said Adams. “His music still touches the heart.”
She said that even when Bach wrote in a minor key — more solemn, sad, mysterious or ominous-sounding — “the last chord is in a major key,” generally regarded in Western culture as happy and optimistic.
“No matter what happens in Bach, there is always light,” said Adams. “A lot Bach ends with a major chord. That’s typical Bach.”
Double Concerto for 2 violins will feature Adams and Karis Pintner; the Minuet in G four soloists and the entire ensemble; Aria in A major a soloist and ensemble. Adams will perform the prelude from Cello Suite No. 1.
She expressed her thanks to On Stage Vacaville, Journey Downtown, Morne Van Staden, owner of Journey Coffee Company, for providing the rehearsal space to prepare for the worldwide event.
New York City resident and cellist Dale Henderson founded Bach in the Subways Day in 2010 and continues to lead the movement today.
“Our mission is to bring Bach to as many people around the world as possible,” he said in Adams’ prepared statement. “My long-term vision for Bach in the Subways is to bring a renaissance of interest and inspiration and excitement about classical music to, ideally, the globe.”
