Above:  David and Carol Beckwith at a reception following the Saturday Mass performance, honoring him for ten years as President of The Choir’s Board of Managers.  The second weekend of performances of the 107th Bethlehem Bach Festival brought the festival program to an even larger audience this past weekend.  Friday evening and Saturday afternoon were particularly well-attened… Continue Reading »

Above, an admittedly idiosyncratic slideshow of photos from your blogger’s exploits at the first weekend of the 107th Bethlehem Bach Festival (Alas, I cannot take pictures while I’m performing in The Choir!).   Though I couldn’t attend all the events (out of town guests precluded Dr. Lipkis’ lecture, which I’m sure was fantastic, likewise with Young… Continue Reading »

Above are our excellent gambists and recorder players, playing the opening sonata from Cantata 106.  The gut strings of the gambas have a richness and resonance that harkens to another age, as does the pure, rossignol-like tone of the recorders.  Tonight’s rehearsal was for the reduced forces for the Friday afternoon concerts.  Even with a… Continue Reading »

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQAW4xoPQuI&w=560&h=315]   Watch the video above for an introduction to and taste of Saturday morning’s performances of our new comic opera.  You can also read more about the process of bringing it to life, both at our Family Concert, and at the German Society of Pennsylvania, by scrolling down below. The Choir and the Bach Festival… Continue Reading »

I count myself extremely fortunate to have studied sacred music with our program annotator par excellence, Dr. Robin Leaver, at Westminster Choir College, in the early 90s.  I was already acquainted with his work in the form of his wonderful notes for Bach Choir programs – and it was an utter thrill to have a face… Continue Reading »