Tonight is our first full rehearsal with “The Company” for the upcoming Monteverdi Vespers of 1610. Up to now, we have just held rehearsals with the seven vocal soloists — one rehearsal was just the basses (Nicholas Walters and Keane Ishii); another rehearsal was just the sopranos (Georgine Stark and Mihoko Ito). In these pairs, one person was from the Bach Chamber Choir while the other was a St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choral Scholar — so they weren’t used to singing with each other. Not surprisingly, the two pairs of sopranos and basses blend together beautifully!

We also had a rehearsal with the Three Tenors (Derek Chester, Matthew Tresler and Joseph Z. Pettit) and Richard Savino (theorbo) which also went very well. Last night, there was a rehearsal at St. Theresa’s with the full complement of instruments and the seven vocal soloists. Yes, now everyone has arrived so tonight is our first rehearsal with all the performers: soloists, choir, and instrumentalists.

The members of The Whole Noyse who are performing here are: Stephen Escher and Alexandra Opsahl (curved cornetts), Richard van Hessel, Philip Neuman and Sandy Stadtfield (sackbuts) and Herbert Myers (curtal and dulcian). Philip Gottling of Honolulu has been added to the brass section and is playing rackett (an early form of the bassoon).

Bach Chamber Orchestra players are Darel Stark, Judy Barrett (violins), Anna Womack, Steve Flanter and Jean-Michel Jacquon (violas), Karen Fujimoto (cello), John Gallagher (double bass), Constance Uejio (renaissance harp), John Renke (harpsichord) and myself on continuo organ. 

Members of the Bach Chamber Choir are: Georgine Stark, Rachel Lentz, Chandra Peters, Vreni Griffith (cantus); Mihoko Ito, Rachel Samet, Naomi Castro, Aggy Stevens-Gleason (sextus); Rachel Samet, Jerelyn Watanabe, Jeannette Johnson (altus I); Joseph Pettit, Karyn Castro, Olivia Castro (altus II); Matthew Tresler, Allen Bauchle, Ian Capps (tenor); Derek Chester, Paul Beck, Randy Castello (quintus); Nicholas Walters, Michell Moriwaki, Bud Klein (bassus I); Keane Ishii, David Del Rocco, and Paul Schwind (bassus II).