VPAC Celebrates Bicentennial of Handel + Haydn Society California Tour Tonight

Following the great success of its 2013 California Tour, the Handel + Haydn Society -- America's oldest continuously performing arts organization -- returns to the Golden State next month for the historic bicentennial tour that will bring them to VPAC tonight, Oct 15 for their company debut.

The all-Baroque Handel + Haydn Bicentennial Celebration will be performed on period instruments and includes works by Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel, including Part III from Messiah -- a piece that has been an annual hallmark of H+H's performances since the ensemble gave the American premiere of the magnificent work at peace festivities in Boston following the end of the War of 1812.

"No other musical ensemble can match these musician's dedication to the works of Handel, Haydn and other eminent composers," said VPAC Executive Director Thor Steingraber. "The orchestra's passion for this music authentically performed on period instruments and its dedication to music education are twin beacons to all of us who love the Baroque musical period."

"I am excited to return to a part of the country that has responded so warmly to our music making," said H+H Artistic Director and Conductor Harry Christophers. "As we celebrate our Bicentennial, it seemed only appropriate to choose works that represent some of the very best of our organization and legacy."

The 2015-2016 Bicentennial Season marks Christophers' seventh as H+H's artistic director. In addition to the California tour, season highlights include performances of Mozart's Requiem, H+H's first-ever complete performance of Handel's Saul, a CD release of Haydn's Creation on the CORO label, and tour performances in Montreal and Washington, D.C.

The evening's repertory will also feature "Summer" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons with concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky as soloist; Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor; Handel's Coronation Anthem No. 1, Zadok the Priest, and Coronation Anthem No. 3, The King Shall Rejoice; and Bach's Singet dem Herrn. Other California October performances include Soka University in Aliso Viejo; the Mondavi Center for the Arts at the University of California, Davis; and Stanford University's Bing Concert Hall.

Tickets for Handel + Haydn Bicenntenial Celebration range from $30 - $75 and can be purchased by visiting ValleyPerformingArtsCenter.org or calling (818) 677-3000. Valley Performing Arts Center is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330-8448, at the corner of Nordhoff and Lindley.

The Valley Performing Arts Center's 2015-16 Season signals a new era for the five-year old premiere event venue. Under the leadership of Executive Director Thor Steingraber, VPAC expands its programming to include new and original work, and outstanding multi-disciplinary performances. Located on the campus of California State University Northridge, VPAC's season offers a vibrant and diverse performance program of nearly 50 classical and popular music, dance, theater, family and international events that will serve to establish VPAC as the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley and further establish itself as one of the top arts companies in Southern California. The award-winning 1,700-seat theatre was designed by HGA Architects and Engineers and was recently cited by the LA Times as "a growing hub for live music, dance, drama and other cultural events."

For 200 years the Handel + Haydn Society has enriched life and influenced culture by bringing vocal and instrumental music to America. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is considered the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States and is celebrating its Bicentennial this season with special concerts and initiatives to mark two centuries of music making. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, H+H performs at the highest level of excellence and also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education in Greater Boston and beyond.

H+H's Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus are internationally recognized for historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical music that use instrum ents and artistic techniques from the time period in which the music was written. H+H presents a nine-program subscription series at Boston's Symphony Hall, NEC's Jordan Hall, and at Sanders Theatre, reaching nearly 3,000 subscribers and over 18,000 single-ticket attendees each year. Listeners can also hear H+H on 99.5 WCRB, National Public Radio, and American Public Media broadcasts, and the organization maintains an active touring schedule including performances this season in California, Montreal, and Washington, D.C. For complete bio, go to Handel + Haydn at VPAC.

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