Johann Sebastian Bach's monumental Mass in b minor is among the greatest artistic creations of Western music. Vast in concept, profound in spiritual depth, and remarkable for the diversity and intricacy of its musical language and architecture, the work inspires musicians and listeners alike.As part of its ongoing commitment to cultivating artistic partnerships among regional arts organizations, Bloomington Chamber Singers engaged the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra for this production. A professional ensemble founded in 1999, the orchestra has rapidly become one of the region's most respected interpreters of seventeenth and eighteenth century music. We performed this magnificent music with instruments and timbres that reflect Bach's time and taste, and in collaboration with musicians who are specialists in the performance practices of this period. The two-hour work is scored for eight-part chorus and soloists, strings, winds, and brass. Its compositional techniques represent the mature genius of Bach, and are a compendium of his compositional styles. BCS Artistic Director Gerald Sousa, in his twenty-seventh season with the sixty-voice ensemble, conducted. Two performances were offered: 8pm Saturday evening, April 13th, and 3pm the next day, Sunday, April 14th at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church.

Here is the review of our concert in the Bloomington Herald-Times:

Music review: Maestro, music and performers make Mass a highlight of season

By Peter Jacobi H-T Reviewer | pjacobi@heraldt.com Apr 15, 2013Halfway, an hour into Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor — after plentiful requests for God’s mercy (Kyrie eleison), expressions of praise (Gloria) and statements of belief (Credo) — the text turns to the emotional heart of the matter at hand: the descent from heaven of God’s son, made incarnate, the Crucifixion and Resurrection.Bach supplied three powerful multi-part choruses, the first somber, the second grief-laden, the third explosively jubilant. For the chorus, handling the technical details and interpretive responsibilities becomes not only formidable but critically imperative. There should be no musical lapses; there should, however, be an impassioned, even impetuous arc of moods.On Saturday evening in St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, the Bloomington Chamber Singers, ably aided and abetted by the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra and a handful of soloists, met the requirements, offering the close to venue-filling audience a commendably sensitive and focused reading of those central moments and, indeed, Bach’s full masterpiece. A second performance followed on Sunday afternoon.It was an act of courage on the part of Gerald Sousa, the longtime music director of the Bloomington Chamber Singers, to take on the B Minor. But that has been his intrepid way, determined always to treat his talented but part-time and amateur choir like pros. Give them a real challenge, he will tell you, and the singers will work diligently to conquer it.The Bach was chosen as this season’s major challenge, and conquer his choristers did. Not all was perfection, but expressive intensity rarely waned, and technical values earned high marks. As conductor, Sousa certainly seemed in continuing control, drawing from the musicians, the vocal and instrumental, their best, perhaps in some instances, then some.The choruses — from the brief and striking Kyrie that opens the Mass to the faith-affirming and jubilant “Dona nobis pacem” (“Grant us peace”) that ended it — were delivered persuasively. The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, with numerous familiar faces for devotees of the Bloomington Early Music Festival and Indiana University’s Early Music Institute, was bedrock solid in support.The well-selected soloists included soprano Colleen Hughes, an IU Jacobs School of Music alum active as freelancing guest artist and now full-time elementary school music teacher; prominent countertenor Steven Rickards, currently on the music faculty at Butler University, and three advanced students from the Jacobs School: mezzo-soprano Jacquelyn Matava, tenor Travis Bloom and bass Daniel Lentz.When in the mix with the chorus or each other, they added expressive firepower. Those also assigned one of Bach’s harrowingly difficult arias, of which there are several in the B Minor, treated them with contextual respect if not always full vocal refinement and color, but then, few singers find full comfort handling this tricky material, Bach at his most intractable.In other words, shortcomings were minor. Indeed, with Maestro Sousa at the helm, performers and music fused this Mass in B Minor into a stirring event, one of the season’s high points.(link)