One Festival. Four Days. Unforgettable Music.
May 8-11, 2025
Revel in the joy of Bach at the 117th Bethlehem Bach Festival this May! Our new one-weekend celebration will feature captivating performances throughout picturesque Lehigh University and Historic Bethlehem. Hear renowned violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, explore musical worlds with our new Outside the Bachs series, or experience the timeless splendor of Bach’s Mass in B Minor. The Bethlehem Bach Festival – where music comes alive!
SAT MAY 10
Ifor Jones Memorial Chamber Music Concert
10:30am
Location: Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center
Few in music history could claim the titles of composer, conductor, and virtuoso performer – let alone knight and world-class fencer. The Chevalier de Saint Georges, famed for his extraordinary skill, joined King Louis XVI’s Royal Guard after besting a fencing master at the age of 16. His agility with the sword mirrored his brilliance on the violin and in composition. Experience his thrilling Violin Concerto in G (Op. 8, No. 9) with the Bach Festival Orchestra and Rachell Ellen Wong, alongside Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and the evocative “Devil’s Trill Sonata.”
The Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem
11:45am
Location: Lobby, Zoellner Arts Center
Talented Bel Canto Youth Chorus singers showcase season accomplishments for Festival audiences directly following the conclusion of the Ifor Jones concert.
Festival Luncheon
12:30pm
Location: Butz Lobby, Zoellner Arts Center
Gather with Bach Choir friends and make new connections at this special Festival luncheon before the Mass in B Minor. The luncheon program includes remarks by the Festival Artist-in-Residence Rachell Ellen Wong. (Members of the Bach Choir Heritage Society and Guarantors in the top three giving circles [$750+] are our guests. Fees apply for other attendees.)
This event is sold out.
Mass in B Minor
Part 1 – 2:30pm | Part 2 – 4:30pm
Location: Packer Memorial Church
With grateful hearts, the Choir has offered Bach’s magnificent Mass in B Minor for more than a century. It’s more than a treasured tradition – some reconnect each year with old friends; others feel transported by the music for the first time as it fills Packer Memorial Church. Join us as we share this monumental composition with our community that gathers from around the world.
Chorale Sing
2pm
Location: Outside of Packer Memorial Church
Friends and chorale enthusiasts gather outdoors near Packer Memorial Church to sing Bach chorales for 20 minutes with Conductor Christopher Jackson and members of the Bach Choir, accompanied by the Festival Brass Choir.
Zimmerman’s Coffee House
7pm
Location: Peter Hall, Moravian University
While living in Leipzig, Bach and his contemporaries would perform at Zimmerman’s Coffee House. Attendees to this event in the intimate Peter Hall will enjoy Baroque chamber music performed by talented young musicians chosen by audition. Plan to join us for a uniquely casual and fun experience that interweaves history, culture, and music in perfect harmony! Light refreshments will be available for purchase. Seating is cafe style.
This event has sold out.
SUN MAY 11
Chamber Music in the Saal
11am
Location: Saal of the Moravian Museum, Church Street
This delightful concert features the exceptional Andrew Gonzalez, praised by The Strad magazine for his “warm-hearted playing and mellow tone.” Gonzalez will perform on the rare violoncello da spalla, a five-stringed mini cello played on the shoulder, and an instrument that many believe Bach had in mind while writing many of his most virtuosic cello works.
Christian Family Lovefeast
11am
Location: Central Moravian Church, Main Street
We are excited to share an additional offering this Festival, a special partnership with Central Moravian Church for the Christian Family Lovefeast, a cherished tradition in the Moravian Church. Join us for a celebration that draws from the Christian Practice of the :agape meal,” a shared community meal. This inclusive event features a song service and the serving of Lovefeast buns and coffee or juice. Enjoy musical meditations from Central’s choir as we celebrate God’s diverse creation and inclusive welcome of all families.
Free! No tickets required.
Cantata in Context
2:30pm
Location: Central Moravian Church, Main Street
Join us at Central Moravian Church for Cantata in Context, an enriching exploration of Bach’s cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140. Dr. Daniel R. Melamed, Barnette Distinguished Scholar Lecturer, unpacks its historical and musical intricacies. Hear the cantata performed twice – before and after Melamed’s lecture – gaining a deeper understanding and fresh perspective on Bach’s composition.
