Carolina Pro Musica
On February 28, 2025, Carolina Pro Musica performed a program titled “Celebrating Scarlatti” with harpsichord, viola da gamba, viola and baroque oboe. This exceptional ensemble is in their 47th season in Charlotte and St. Mark’s is please they are one of our musical partners. On March 28 the Baroque ensemble, Carolina Pro Musica featured the works of J.S. Bach in a program titled, “Beautiful Baroque,” which included the Cantata “Ich habe genug” (BMV 82). The ensemble was Karen Hite Jacob, harpsichord; Rebecca Miller Saunders, soprano; Andrew Mahon, bass-baritone; Holly Wright Maurer, viola de gamba; David Wilson, violin; Janelle Davis, violin; Tom LaJoie, viola; Henry Trexles, Sung Lee, baroque oboe. Photos of the performances and St. Mark’s sanctuary courtesy of John Jacob.
On October 3, Carolina Pro Musica kicked off its 48th 2025-26 season with a concert titled “German Ingenuity,” featuring the music of J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel. Bach’s wedding cantata 202, violin sonata BWV 1021, Handel’s trio HVW 390 and aria “O Had I Jubal’s Lyre” from “Joshua” were performed. St. Mark’s is honored to be the home of this fine Baroque ensemble led by Karen Jacob, Director, and Sung Lee, Assistant Director. Photos courtesy of John Jacob.
The annual premier Baroque ensemble Carolina Pro Musica Christmas concert on December 12 was well attended and included the telling of the biblical Christmas narrative by Bob Sweeten, accompanied by music and poetry. It is an honor that Carolina Pro Musica again called St. Mark’s home for its 47th season. Photos courtesy of John Jacob.
Queen City Ringers
On May 4, the Queen City Ringers presented their annual Spring Concert titled, “What a Wonderful World.” Under the baton of Laura Blauch, the QCR presented a variety of musical genres including arrangements by Buckwalter, Tucker, McChesney, Eithun, Krug, Compton and McKlveen. We are pleased that the Queen City Ringers calls St. Mark’s home!
Bach Charlotte Cantatas and Festival
On May 10, Bach Akademie Charlotte presented Bach’s Cantatas for Solo Voices, featuring Nicholas Garza (countertenor) and Edmund Milly (bass), accompanied by violin, viola, cello, oboe, and continuo organ (see picture). St. Mark’s is pleased to partner with BAC, welcoming the wider Charlotte community to St. Mark’s to experience the music of Bach in the beautiful sacred space of our sanctuary.
The Bach Akademie Charlotte held its 6th annual Bach Festival May 30-June 7, bringing together over fifty gifted musicians from all over North America. Highlights included the entire Brandenburg Concertos and Mozart’s Requiem. St. Mark’s was pleased to host two concerts: June 3, “All in the Family: JS Bach & Sons Chamber Music,” featuring the Cantata: Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, BWV 68 (For God so loved the world); and June 5, “Follia & Fantasy: The Art of the Trio Sonata,” including works by J.S. Bach and Antonio Vivaldi. These well-attended concerts offered the Charlotte community an opportunity to experience marvelous music in our acoustically vibrant sanctuary.
Angels in the Architecture
On Sunday, June 15, the ensemble named Angels in the Architecture presented “Under the Skies: 500 years of Music in Paris,” featuring music of the 13th-18th centuries. Seven musicians performed vocal and instrumental pieces featuring over thirty different instruments with Kristen Overdahl as vocalist on several pieces in French. The concert was a magical performance giving life to medieval and early baroque period compositions rarely heard performed today. St. Mark’s is proud to partner with many musical ensembles in Charlotte offering quality sacred and classical music that helps create musical community in our church.
North Carolina Baroque Orchestra
On August 8, the NC Baroque Orchestra performed “Magnificent Orchestral Music of the Baroque,” a selection of works by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Heinichen, and de Boismortier. The NCBO is comprised of professional musicians specializing in 17th & 18th century music performed on baroque period instruments. Their passion brings joy and new life to the music of this era.
American Guild of Organists
On August 17 St. Mark’s hosted the American Guild of Organists Summer Recital Series with a performance by Les Ackerman, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra trumpeters, Alex Wilborn and Jonathan Kaplan who offered a program of “Music for Organ and Trumpets” with works by Purcell, German, Vivaldi, Walther, Tomasi, Viviani, Gawthrop and Holst. We are grateful to the AGO Board of Directors for offering this yearly series and to the Congregational Life Committee for arranging a marvelous reception after the concert.