WWFM Hosts Free Bach Concert Tonight

WWFM The Classical Network, New Jersey's only full-time classical music radio station, will present a free concert to honor the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach tonight, March 21, at The Princeton Theological Seminary's Miller Chapel at 7 p.m.

The evening will feature performances by Tempesta di Mare, the Philadelphia-based Baroque Orchestra, and Renée Anne Louprette, organist at Trinity Church Wall Street. On-air hosts of The Classical Network will introduce the artists and provide commentary throughout the program, which will be broadcast live on WWFM.

The concert will cap a day-long celebration of the music of J.S. Bach on WWFM, marking the Baroque composer's 328th birthday. The station's hosts will play a variety of Bach's masterpieces, including orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral, vocal and organ works.

According to Development Director Diane Guvenis, the concert will serve as a "thank you" to the community for supporting the station. As part of its spring fundraising drive, the station is looking to sign up 600 members at the $100 level by today, March 21. Several long-time supporters have agreed to donate an additional $20,000 if this goal is met.

"The Classical Network would like to show our appreciation to our listener/members. Though our community support, WWFM continues to broadcast a diverse and comprehensive range of repertoire to Mercer County and the world," Guvenis said. "We are very excited to host this concert and bring these remarkable performers to Princeton in celebration of Bach's birthday."

WWFM, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, previously held Bach concerts at Miller Chapel in 2010 and 2011.

"This concert is always a highlight. It brings together some of our closest friends at a wonderful venue - on the campus of one of our broadcast partners - for music by one of the greatest composers in the history of classical music. It does not get any better than this for classical music lovers," WWFM's General Manager Peter Fretwell said.

Founded in 2002, Tempesta di Mare performs music from the Baroque period (17th and early 18th centuries) on period instruments. Led by directors Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone with concertmaster Emlyn Ngai, Tempesta's repertoire ranges from staged operas with full orchestra to chamber music. The ensemble has toured across the United States and Europe, including chamber music performances at the Gottingen Handel Festival, and has issued recordings on the Chandos label.

Renée Anne Louprette was appointed Organist and Associate Director of Music and the Arts at Trinity Wall Street, New York, in June 2011, where she collaborates as primary accompanist and associate conductor of the renowned Trinity Choir under the directorship of Dr. Julian Wachner. She appears throughout the season as organ soloist for the Bach at One cantata series in St. Paul's Chapel broadcast on WWFM. She also serves as a member of the faculty of the John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ, as Adjunct Professor of Organ.

The Classical Network, operating from Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, New Jersey, was founded in 1982 and has grown into a full-time classical music network serving New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, eastern Pennsylvania, and portions of Delaware and Maryland, as well as reaching listeners in Colorado and around the world through streaming on wwfm.org. In the fall of 2008, the station launched JazzOn2, a 24-hour jazz station available on its HD channel 2 and JazzOn2.org. More information is available at (609) 587-8989, info@wwfm.org, or www.wwfm.org.

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