Events

Instrumental Master Class and Continuo Workshop

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026
11:10 a.m.-1 p.m., Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218

For the first half, guest artists Leif Woodward, cello, and Anna Washburn, violin, will coach Cal Poly students in instrumental repertoire from the Baroque era, with a focus on historically informed performance. During the second half, Woodward will coach students in effective continuo playing, which is the foundation of all Baroque music.

Free admission

Vocal Master Class

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026
3:10 p.m., Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218

Guest artist Rebecca Myers will coach several Cal Poly voice students in repertoire from the Baroque era.

Free admission

Akademie Lecture — Opera's Virtuous Cousin: The Rise of the Oratorio

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026
7:30 p.m., Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218

What do you call an opera that goes to church? Cal Poly Music Department Professor Alyson McLamore examines how Baroque composers seized features from the new, wildly popular genre of opera and repurposed them as a way to tell sacred stories.

Free admission

Chamber Concert: Meera Kahe

Friday, Jan. 24, 2025
7:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo 

Tesserae Baroque will present the West Coast premiere of "Meera Kahe," a new cantata by Reena Esmail, featuring baroque violin (Vijay Gupta), baroque flute (Christopher Matthews), baroque cello (Leif Woodward), harpsichord (Ian Pritchard), tabla (Ravindra Deo) and Hindustani vocalist Saili Oak. Esmail’s cantata, which sets the iconic Hindi texts of 16th-century Indian saint-poet Mirabai, will be coupled by music of the French Baroque including works by Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre and François Couperin.

Pictured from top-left: Harrison Hintzsche, baritone; Ravindra Deo, tabla; Vinja Gupta, violin; Anna Washburn, violin; leif Woodward, cello; Christopher Matthews, baroque flute; Leif Pritchard, harpsichord; Saili Oak, vocals

Tickets ($22 general, $12 students) 

Special ticket price for both Jan. 23 and 24 concerts ($40 general, $20 students)

Bach Week Finale: Oratorio

Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026
Two performances!
2 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo 
7:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo 

Members of Cal Poly’s Chamber Choir, Symphony and faculty will join with guest artists to perform J. S. Bach’s "Christmas Oratorio" (Part 1) and Handel’s monumental “Israel in Egypt.”

Tickets ($22 general, $12 students) 

Special ticket price for both Jan. 23 and 24 concerts ($40 general, $20 students)