Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Bethlehem Bach Festival

Name:

Bethlehem Bach Festival (Annual Festival)
Bach at Noon (Free Cantata Series)

Location:

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Venues:

Central Moravian Church, Historic Downtown Bethlehem
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem
Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Packer Memorial Church, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Peter Hall, Moravian College, Bethlehem

Years:

Inaugurated in 1900 and held annually from 1912

Months:

Festival: May
Cantata Series: September-April

Artistic Director:

Greg Funfgeld

Ensembles:

Bach Choir of Bethlehem
The Bach Festival Orchestra

Website:

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem

History & Mission:

The Moravians, who settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1741, brought to the region a religious heritage greatly enriched by music. The Bethlehem Choral Union (renamed the Bach Choir of Bethlehem in 1898) gave the first complete American performances of many of J.S. Bach's major choral works during the 1880's and 1890's. The Bethlehem Bach Festival, which began in 1912, takes place in May and each year presents the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) and other choral and instrumental works.

Source: Article by John Butt in Oxford Composer Companion - J.S. Bach, edited by Malcolm Boyd (Oxford University Press, 1999)

Recent Festivals:

103^rd Festival: May 7-8 & 13-15, 2010
104^th Festival: May 6-7 & 13-14, 2011

105^th Festival: May 4-6 & 11-12, 2012

Logo: