Santa Fe University of Art and Design Michael Dransfield, a freshman Digital Arts, uses the practice rooms in Benildus to practice piano.

Musicians gather for sound checks at St. Francis auditorium. They are preparing for the day’s concert in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 330th birthday, and come from all backgrounds: amateurs, students and professionals. SFUAD Contemporary Music Program major John Church sits stage left with a shotgun mic aimed at his mandolin. Over spring break, Church said he was pretty nervous about the upcoming performance. “As time goes on it dwindles, but it might start back up again.” Two men roll a grand piano across the wooden stage. Scattered spectators populate the auditorium’s creaky pews. The pianist takes his seat and warms up for his performance of Kreuz und krone from Bach Cantata No. 12. Fitzhugh de Gogorza Cline stands in front of the piano, practicing her vocals for the Aria. World class oboist Gerald Fried rounds out the trio. Fried is most well known for composing the scores for the original Star Trek episode, “Amok Time,” the television mini-series Roots and several of Stanley Kubrick’s films. Church expected to see him at the March 21 performance, but was unsure of who would be joining Fried on his piece. “He’ll probably be accompanied on the piano by [SFUAD Contemporary Music Program instructor] Deborah Ungar or someone else,” Church says. That someone else turns out to be Oscar-winning film composer and jazz pianist Dave Grusin. It’s enough to make any budding musician nervous. Cline walks down a set of wooden stairs adjacent to the stage. The hem of her black dress flutters around her boots. Church hammers out the Prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. “Who would’ve thought?” Cline says. “What’s that?” Church asks. “Who would’ve thought that Bach would sound so good on the mandolin?” “Oh, thank you. Your voice sounds wonderful as...