One of the decidedly more distinctive musical events you'll find in Salt Lake City is the annual Vivaldi by Candlelight concert. If you've never been to one of these concerts, you've been missing out on a unique experience.
Just imagine being seated in a faintly lit church with only candles for illumination and listening to some of the area's best musicians play the music of Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann and others. It puts a whole new perspective on baroque music.
This year, the concert takes place on Monday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. in St. Mark's Cathedral, 231 E. 100 South. There will be a repeat performance on Tuesday, Dec. 5, also at 8 p.m.
"I like the intimacy of the setting and the atmosphere," Barbara Scowcroft told the Deseret News. "You're in a small space, and that adds warmth. It's dim and peaceful, and I think people do a lot of contemplating at these concerts."
Scowcroft has been music director of the concerts for four years now, although the programs go back to the 1980s. And since its inception, the Vivaldi by Candlelight concerts have been sponsored by the non-profit International Visitors Utah Council (IVUC) as a fund-raiser.
"It's been around a very long time," Scowcroft said. "I think Joey Silverstein started it. It was his idea to play the music of Vivaldi by candlelight."
After Silverstein, Ricklen Nobis took over as music director, remaining in that position for a number of years. Scowcroft's first contact with the series came when Nobis asked her to replace him.
"I substituted for him one year when he was out of town," Scowcroft said. "Then, after that, he left town to tour with a Broadway group. In the meantime, the board (of directors at IVUC) changed, and they asked me to take over as music director."
Scowcroft enjoys being associated with IVUC, even though she maintains a busy schedule. "We're working well together, and everyone seems happy." (In addition to leading the Vivaldi concerts, Scowcroft is also the music director of the NOVA Chamber Music Series and the Utah Youth Symphony, as well as a member of the first violin section of the Utah Symphony.)
This week's program features two large concertos by Bach along with three shorter ones by Vivaldi. "When I took over, I wanted to highlight Vivaldi," Scowcroft explained, "but there is so much great music in the baroque, I wanted to bring in other composers as well."
Soloists will be Utah Symphony members Ralph Matson, violin; Robert Stephenson, oboe; and Marjorie Janove, harpsichord. "They're all old favorites," said Scowcroft, who'll be on the podium conducting a small, select string ensemble composed of members or substitute players of the Utah Symphony. "We've got a nice orchestra assembled.
"This is a very busy time of year for everyone, and it can be a stretch to ask musicians to add on a couple of concerts to their schedule. But they've come through for us."
On the concert program will be Bach's Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings in D minor, and the Concerto for Oboe, Violin and Strings in C minor. The three Vivaldi works are the "Concerto Madrigalesco" and two concertos for strings, one in C major and the other in A major.
"This is happy Vivaldi," Scowcroft said. "It's some really interesting stuff, and it was also a lot of fun for me to find these pieces."
Tickets for the concert cost $40, which includes admission to a post-concert reception, and are available through the IVUC, either by calling 801-532-4747 or stopping by its office at 139 E. South Temple, No. 50.
E-MAIL: ereichel@desnews.com