Under the Fig Tree: Bach and Dr. Maurice Boyer

Under the Fig Tree

In this episode of Under the Fig Tree, host Rev. Micah Glenn and fill-in host Kati Gaschler (while Dr. Benjamin Haupt is on sabbatical) talk via Zoom with Dr. Maurice Boyer, music director for the American Kantorei and associate professor of music at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill. He shares about his journey from a child of music teachers who taught on a seminary campus in the south of France. He also shares some highlights about J.S. Bach and his well-known St. John Passion, which will be performed at Concordia Seminary on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024. It is part of the Seminary’s celebration of the 300th anniversary celebration of the piece. “This is music he wrote for the worship service,” he says of Bach. The St. John Passion was “intended for performance in the liturgy.” His advice for prospective church workers? “Love the people with whom you work,” he says. “That’s a pretty beautiful thing.” In the recurring segment, “Ripe for the picking or leave it on the tree,” hear how he feels about poached eggs, ergonomic pillows, DIY projects, salt on watermelon and more!