The Augusta Choral Society will open its season with works of J.S. Bach and Marianna Martines on Oct. 17.
Titled “Awaken the soul: J. S. Bach and Marianna Martines” the season opener features works by Baroque masters Henry Purcell and Bach contrasted with a rarely performed composition by the Viennese Classicist Marianna Martines, a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart, according to a news release. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cultural Center.
“In pairing Bach’s Cantata #140, ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’, with Martines’ triumphant ‘Dixit Dominus’, we invite listeners to experience a dialogue between two contrasting eras of sacred choral music,” said Marcel Ramalho, ACS Artistic Director and Conductor. “This concert is an opportunity to hear the foundational pillar of the German Baroque (or perhaps all Western classical music) along with the genius of one of Vienna’s most neglected female trailblazers. Each of these works celebrates music’s profound capacity to elevate, inspire, and renew us.”
Henry Purcell’s anthem, “Thou Knowest, Lord, the Secrets of our Hearts” opens the concert.
The chorus will continue its season with performances this year on Dec. 12, as well as March 6, 2027, and May 16, 2027.
For more details about individual concert lineups and performance venues, visit the ACS’ website at www.augustacs.org.



Augusta Good News is an award-winning member of the Georgia Press Association, receiving a second place General Excellence in 2025 and 2026 Sign up for our free weekly newsletter here.