Pearls of Sorrow brings together 17th-century European Baroque music and African American spirituals-traditions born in the same era and shaped by struggle, faith, and hope.

Countertenor Reginald Mobley lends his powerful, soulful voice to spirituals including Were You There? and Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, alongside sacred works by J.S. Bach, J.C.F. Bach, Schutz, Buxtehude, Erlebach, and more, in a program that brings together the intimacy of spirituals and the dramatic intensity of Baroque sacred music.

Concert Highlights

Baroque-era composers like Schutz, Erlebach, and members of the Bach family wrote works that reflected the struggles of their times.

African American spirituals are featured alongside these European works, with songs that show resilience and creativity and continue to speak to listeners today.

Countertenor Reginald Mobley is a GRAMMY(R) nominee who has been hailed as ‘a voice of effortless beauty’ (The New York Times) and praised for his ‘shimmering voice’ (The Boston Globe).

Under conductor Christine Brandes, Philharmonia Baroque performs on period instruments using historically informed performance practice, so you’ll hear this music much as early audiences did.

Concert Dates

Friday, March 13, 2026 – 7:30 PM | Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 2:30 PM | First Congregational Church, Berkeley

Sunday, March 15, 2026 – 2:30 PM | Bing Concert Hall, Stanford

Tickets

$40 to $125, and $20 tickets available for Under 30s (SF & Berkeley only). Ticket prices may rise in the run up to popular concerts. 

Details and tickets at philharmonia.org or call the Box Office at (415) 295-1900, Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM.

$20 – 125.

Presented by Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Choral