Founded: 1995 - Tokyo, Japan

The Musical Director of Schneidt Bach Choir (= SBC), Tokyo is Hanns-Martin Schneidt, who used to be the Artistic Director of the Munich Bach Choir and Orchestra until April, 2001.

In 1995 Hanns-Martin Schneidt was the conductor in a performance of Bach's Mass in B-Minor (BWV 232), with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Several members of the choir who then sang under Hanns-Martin Schneidt were impressed with the vivacious, enjoyable and lyrical quality of his musical interpretation and took up the idea of starting Schneidt Bach Choir in Tokyo. This was subsequently realized in September 1997 in close cooperation with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

The number of our members is currently about 170 amateurs, whose age ranges from early 20s to well over 60s and the most of them are non-Christians. They are all fascinated by the choir music composed by Haydn, J.S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, J. Brahms, F. Mendelssohn-Barthody and other great composers. The past performances of Schneidt Bacn Choir under his direction are: 1998 Haydn’s Creation Oratorio in Tokyo and Yokohama, 1999 J.S. Bach’s Mass in B-Minor (BWV 232) in Tokyo, J. Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem in Tokyo, 2000 J.S. Bach’s Mass in B-Minor (BWV 232) in Honolulu, Hawaii, G.F. Händel’s The Messiah in Yokohama, 2001 J.S. Bach Johannes-Passion (BWV 245), 2002 Felix Mendelssohn’s Elias.

Schneidt Bach Choir performs with Schneidt Bach Orchestra formed with selected members of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and centering around concertmaster Eiji Arai under the joint designation of The Schneidt Bach Choir & Orchestra.

Source: Schneidt Bach Choir Website (2003)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2003)

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