FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ABS Artistic Director Jeffrey Thomas Focuses on the Future 

Increased Emphasis on Further Growth of ABS Enabled by Departure from University of California Professorship


June 4, 2018 – San Francisco, CA. After 22 years of service as Professor of Music at the University of California at Davis, Jeffrey Thomas now looks forward to his emeritus status which will allow him to further dedicate his time and expertise to the organization that he co-founded thirty years ago. He commented,

“I have been gratified to bring my artistic work with American Bach Soloists to the Davis community for two decades through the support of my fellow professors and staff of the UCD Department of Music and my cherished relationships with Barbara K. Jackson and the directors of the Mondavi Center, which have been fundamental to the depth of my musical experiences on campus. I wish the campus and the department a flourishing future that will continue to put forward the importance of the Arts in the lives of the entire University community. Now, turning my focus more exclusively to ABS, I look forward to strengthening existing relationships with our patrons and building new alliances that will assure a permanent place for American Bach Soloists among those institutions that are both committed to the preservation of cultural treasures and engaged in groundbreaking and innovative ways to secure that permanence.”
Among the ensemble’s most recent artistic initiatives and accomplishments are:

  • The founding and flourishing of the ABS Academy, a tuition-free advanced training program exclusively for emerging professionals and highly accomplished students of Historically Informed Performance Practice. Donor support has led to the program becoming tuition-free in 2018.

  • ABS’s full-length feature film of Handel’s Messiah in Grace Cathedral, recorded in 5.1 DTS-HD™ Surround Sound and 2.0 DTS-HD™ Stereo, available on High Definition Blu-ray™ and DVD (released in 2015)

  • Increased audio recording projects including Bach’s Motets (released in 2017), Bach’s Orchestral Suites (to be released in 2018), and the debut solo CD of acclaimed countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen (scheduled for release in 2019).

The American Bach Soloists maintain a multi-faceted approach to the organization’s permanent sustainability including active Annual Giving campaigns, an Endowment established to provide funds for expansion, special projects, etc., and a planned giving program called Continuo Circle that salutes the foresight and generosity of those individuals who have included American Bach Soloists in their wills or estate plans. Together, these and other development activities secure ABS’s long-term financial stability, ensuring that American Bach Soloists will enrich future generations.

The American Bach Soloists have been recipients of major grants from The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, The AT&T Foundation Matching Gifts Program, The AXA Foundation Matching Gifts Program, Bank of America, The Bernard Osher Foundation, The Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation, Citi Bank, The Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, Clorox Foundation, County of Marin, E. Nakamichi Foundation, The Florence Gould Foundation, Google, Grants for the Arts, Mechanics Bank, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Sack Family Fund, The San Francisco Foundation, The Wallis Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and The William and Gretchen Kimball Fund. An administrative staff and Board of Directors support ABS’s activities as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
ABOUT JEFFREY THOMAS
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Renowned for his experience, knowledge and sensitivity for the music of the Baroque, Jeffrey Thomas’s preparation of the major works of the repertory such as Bach’s Mass in B Minor,  St. Matthew Passion , and Handel’s  Messiah  have led to inspired, definitive performances that have become synonymous with the ensemble he has led with such distinction.  San Francisco Classical Voice  said, “Jeffrey Thomas is still pushing the musical Baroque envelope.” [ MORE ]
ABOUT AMERICAN BACH SOLOISTS
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American Bach Soloists are leading performers in the field of Baroque music, dedicated to historically informed performances of Bach and his contemporaries. ABS provides meaningful, memorable, and valuable musical experiences for our audiences through inspiring performances and recordings, and it supports the preservation of early music through educational programs for students and emerging professionals. [ MORE ]
Additional Press Resources:
Jonathon Hampton
Communications Manager
415-621-7900 ext. 207
American Bach Soloists
44 Page Street, Suite 403
San Francisco, CA, 94102
415-621-7900
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The American Bach Soloists are grateful for the support of these and other Foundations, Corporations, Government Agencies, and Individual Sponsors