(CHATHAM, N.Y.) – Repast Baroque, a New York City based trio performing Baroque music on period instruments, presents the ninth annual Paul Grunberg Memorial Bach Concert on Sunday, June 22, 2014, at 2pm, kicking off the season at PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century. The group includes violinist Amelia Roosevelt, viol da gambist John Mark Rozendaal and distinguished guest harpsichordist Dongsok Shin.

The annual all-Bach concert is held in memory of Paul Grunberg, the late husband of PS21 President Judy Grunberg. “Paul’s love of Bach went far beyond the conventional ‘favorite composer’ genre,” said Grunberg. “For Paul, the emotions stirred in him by Bach’s music were ‘the right ones.’ There was simply no other music that came near.” Each season, Grunberg features a different aspect of Bach’s tremendous output. “There can never be too much Bach,” she says.

Pieces to be performed include: Trio Sonata in C; Sonata in G Minor for gamba and obbligato harpsichord; Movement 2 of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5; Sonata in E minor for Violin and Basso Continuo; Preludes and Fugues in C# Major & C# Minor; and Trio Sonata in G Major.

“Most Baroque composers were very accomplished instrumentalists, so the music of the Baroque era is often a high level of compositional craftsmanship combined with an acquaintance for the instrumental idiom,” explained Ameilia Roosevelt. “That makes this music exceptionally satisfying to for us to play and pleasing for the audience to hear.”

Each member of Repast has an active career in historical performance. “We don’t claim to present historically accurate renditions, rather our performances are historically informed. We find out about the performing styles in the time, develop a sense of the ‘language’ of the style, and make an interpretation that communicates something,” Roosevelt said. “Our baroque instruments give us clues about what effects the different bows and strings had on the music, but in the end it’s a personal musical process.”

Founded in 2003 in New York City, Repast Baroque has performed on Miller Theatre’s Bach and the Baroque series, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles; the Miami Bach Society; the Ewell Concert Series at the College of William and Mary; the Early Music Society of the Islands in Victoria, B.C.; among others. Since 2004, Repast has presented an annual concert series at the Baruch Performing Arts Center and has been featured on WKCR and Vermont Public radio.

Amelia Roosevelt is a founding member of Repast. Described by the New York Times as a “virtuoso duelist,” she performs with the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Sinfonia New York, the Clarion Music Society, and the Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra.

John Mark Rozendaal performs as a member of Trio Settecento and was founding Artistic Director of Chicago Baroque Ensemble, and principal cellist of The City Musick and Basically Bach. Rozendaal’s viola da gamba playing has been praised as “splendid” (Chicago Tribune) and “breathtaking” (Sun-Times).

Dongsok Shin has been a member of REBEL, the New York-based Baroque ensemble with an impressive international reputation. Shin has appeared with the American Classical Orchestra, ARTEK, Concert Royal, Early Music New York, Carmel Bach Festival, Mark Morris Dance Group, the New York Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and has recorded for several record labels. He was a founding member of the Mannes Camerata, receiving international critical acclaim as music director for their productions of early baroque operas.

Tickets for the Paul Grunberg Memorial Bach Concert featuring Repast Baroque  are $35 general admission, $30 members, and $20 students 18 and under. A reception to celebrate this special event will follow the performance. Tickets can be purchased at PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, by calling 1-800-838-3006, or at the door until the show sells out. For other information about this or any other event at PS21, please call (518) 392-6121.

PS21 is located at 2980 Route 66, just one mile north of the village of Chatham.

PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century is a not-for-profit organization in Chatham, NY, dedicated to the performing arts and to serving a diverse community with concerts, programs and residencies by professional artists and ensembles, youth and children’s programming and cultural education opportunities for all ages.