Bach Bonanza in Boca

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Top: David Kim
Bottom: John Dee

A Bach Bonanza With The Symphonia Jan. 8-10

By Skip Sheffield

A bounty of Bach is in store for the second Connoisseur Concert of the Symphonia Boca Raton. On the program for 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10 at Roberts Theatre of St. Andrew’s School will be Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3; his Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C minor and his Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Also featured will be Bach contemporary Johann Pachelbel’s Canon and Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Violinist David Kim, Concert Master of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1969, will serve as guest conductor and John Dee, Professor of Oboe at the University of Illinois, will be featured soloist.

For his many accomplishments, David Kim is a very modest artist.

“Last season with the Symphonia was a fantastic experience,” said Kim, who is also concertmaster of the All-Star Orchestra of New York City and on PBS stations throughout the nation. “I made a lot of friends at our concerts in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. A concertmaster is really the more important member. As conductor I wave my hands around a bit.”

John Dee, who was a South Florida resident for 26 years, looks forward to working with David Kim for the first time.

“He seems to be a lovely person and he has every right to be at the top of the pile,” says Dee of Kim. “The Bach Concerto (for violin and oboe) is a beautiful work with solo lines weaved in for violin and orchestra. I played it with the Florida Philharmonic with Mark Kaplan and found it challenging and exciting.”

As for classical music in general, Dee says it is about communication. He should know. He worked with the great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti enough times with Miami Opera to call him a personal friend.

“You get to the point where you are comfortable, and that’s when you can communicate,” he says. “I tell my students the art of music is making it look easy.”

For music lovers who want to learn more about the music and the musicians, the Symphonia will host a Lunch with the Symphonia at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 8 at the Unitarian Congregation, 2601 St. Andrews Blvd. Tickets are $35.

For future audiences, a Meet the Orchestra session is held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 at Roberts Theatre. Tickets are just $5 for adults and free for children, but reservations are required.

For northern country residents, an Encore Concert will be performed at 8 p.m. Jan. 9 at Eissey Campus Theatre at Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens.

Single tickets are $45-$75. Call 866-687-1201 or go to tickets@thesymphonia.org.