FARMINGTON – Four talented musicians will join for a special program of Baroque music at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in Nordica Auditorium at the University of Maine at Farmington.

“Flowers of the Baroque” will celebrate some delightful and charming music of the 1700s. Mary Jo Carlsen, who will play violin for this program, said the idea for the concert stemmed from a recital by mezzo-soprano Jennifer Hansen, who was presenting arias and songs by Bach and Purcell.

Along with Carlsen and Hansen, the concert will feature Ray Cornils playing harpsichord and Kathy Foster on cello.

The program will include arias from Handel and Bach – two of the Bach arias from cantatas and the third will be “Erbarme dich,” the alto aria from the “St. Matthew Passion,” his beautiful combination of virtuosity for the violin and melodic line for the voice. Four songs from Purcell will be presented, including two renditions of “If Music be the Food of Love.”

The program also will include Bach’s G minor gamba sonata, a harpsichord sonata and a piece for viol by Jacques Morel.

Hansen, who has performed as soloist throughout northern New England, is a specialist in the works of Bach, having performed in his “St. John Passion,” “St. Matthew Passion,” “Magnificat” and Mass in B minor as well as numerous cantatas.

Cornils, who is Portland’s municipal organist, has appeared in concerts throughout the United States as well as in Germany, Russia, New Zealand and France. He performs regularly with the Portland Symphony Orchestra as soloist on both harpsichord and organ.

Carlsen is a recitalist in the New England area on violin, viola and Baroque violin, performing music from the Renaissance through the 21st century. She performs with the Portland Symphony, the Portland Opera Repertory Theatre, the Bangor Symphony, the Portland Ballet Orchestra and many small chamber groups.

Forster is principal cellist of the Maine Chamber Ensemble and the Maine State Ballet Orchestra. Recent solo and chamber appearances include performances at the Round Top Center for the Arts and the Olin Arts Center.

Admission will be $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $2 for children under 15. There is no advance sale of tickets. The concert is sponsored by the Arts Institute. For more information, people can call 645-2157.