Concerts, Covid and Comfort
PLEASE READ

Jump To:

Individual GiftsBecome a Sustaining MemberEndowment / Planned GiftsVolunteers / InternshipsNon-Profit 990 form and information

Donate to The Bach Choir of Bethlehem

You make all the difference…

During our Season, our live and virtual concerts and engagement programs enriched the lives of more than 50,000 people of all ages from across the country and around the world; it is our privilege and pleasure to present them.

– To learn more about our programs and audience, we’ve posted our latest Annual Report.
Click HERE to access and read.  –

 

We cannot do this without you!  Your one-time, annual or planned gifts enable us to “pay it forward” to preserve the legacy of The Bach Choir and advance our mission to share the music of J. S. Bach now and for generations to come.

Donations of any value are greatly appreciated and make a big difference for The Bach Choir and our outreach programs.

Please consider giving a gift to support The Bach Choir this season!
Your gift of any amount will make a big difference for The Bach Choir and our programs. There are many ways to contribute. Your gift is tax-deductible and may be undesignated or designated to a fund that aligns with your interests.

Give your cash gift to The Bach Choir
Your cash gift may be designated or undesignated. Donate via check by mail or make a secure contribution by credit card online on this site or by phone at 610.866.4382 x110/113. Make a Donation

Become a Bach Choir Guarantor
For more than a century Guarantors have provided a solid base of annual support for The Bach Choir each season. Sustaining members pledge support at a level of their choice and enjoy the benefits of membership in our Guarantor family.
Become a Guarantor or fulfill your current annual pledge

Make a Donation through Your IRA
An IRA charitable rollover can be an easy and convenient way to make a gift from one of your major assets.

Give a Gift through the Donation of Appreciated Stock or Assets
Making a gift to The Bach Choir of stocks, bonds, insurance policies or mutual funds that have increased in value may provide you with specific tax benefits.

Consider a Planned Gift or Charitable Bequest to The Bach Choir
Your legacy gift can have a lasting impact and may be as simple as naming The Bach Choir as a beneficiary in your will, trust, life insurance policies, retirement plan, other assets.

Always consult with your financial consultant for advice about how a donation through your assets might benefit you and The Bach Choir.

Designate The Bach Choir to receive a donation through your company’s Matching Gift program
Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Check with your employer to see if they participate in a matching gift program as a way to increase the impact of your contribution to The Bach Choir.

There are many ways that you can make a charitable financial contribution to The Bach Choir, some of which may offer you tax advantages. Please contact us to discuss your wishes and always consult with your financial consultant for advice about how to make a tax-deductible contribution that could benefit The Bach Choir and you.

Please contact the Development Office at ext.113 to explore options that support your interests and can have a long term impact.

Thank you!

For more information, please contact:

Cheryl Dungan
Development Director
610.866.4382 ext. 113
cheryl@bach.org

440 Heckewelder Place
Bethlehem, PA 18018

 

The Bach Choir's European Tour: UPDATE

Given new developments and restrictions related to the pandemic, current and anticipated travel restrictions and the uncertainty of the timing around the vaccine roll-out, our ability to tour does not seem feasible or likely.

After due consideration, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue our June ’21 European Tour plans.  We will not be rescheduling this tour, given our impending leadership change in the coming year. 

For our Tagalong travelers:  At this point, you do not need to take any action. We will be consulting with Encore Tours and will begin the refund process in the weeks to come. Please do not contact Encore Tours directly regarding your refund.

Any refund due to you will come directly from The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and will be based on your tour payments to date and your insurance level. No new/additional modifications can be made to the insurance level associated with your individual tour package. If you increased your insurance level previously but did not pay the upcharge, the fee for the increased insurance will be deducted from your refund. (The Tagalong donation of $800 is non-refundable.)

Bachfest Concert Tickets: Bachfest has postponed advance on-line tickets sales for 2021 concerts until spring. To learn more please go to https://www.bachfestleipzig.de/en/bach-festival/postponement-advance-ticket-sales-2021-leipzig-bachfest

Phone: 0049-341 9137-300 or via e-mail to bachfest@bach-leipzig.de

We are very disappointed that we will not be able to share the experience of performing on the European stage with you and we are grateful for your understanding as we work through the refund process in the coming weeks. We expect to begin sending refunds out in February.

Individual Gifts

Giving Options

One-Time Donations  

Gifts of any amount will be greatly appreciated and will support the annual operations of the Choir.  You may also designate your gift to support a specific fund or a project. For example, funds designated to our ongoing Youth Meets Bach program would help us sustain a number of educational outreach initiatives, including Bach at Noon, Bach 101, Bach to School, Family Concert, Festival Outreach and Youth Involvement and Bel Canto Youth Chorus of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

In Memoriam and Tribute Gifts

Your contribution of any amount may be given in memory of a family member or friend, or to honor a special person or celebrate a life event. Family members will be notified of your gift, and your donation will be acknowledged in our Festival program.

Sustaining Members

Guarantors

 

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem has been supported for over a century by our Guarantors – donors who choose to make an on-going annual commitment.  Guarantors enjoy a variety of special benefits, which vary according to the giving level. Levels start at $125 annually, and funds support the general administrative and artistic operations of the Bach Choir organization and needs of our volunteer Choir.

Associate Guarantors Welcome!

Students, young professionals and family members of current guarantors under 30 may join as an Associate Guarantor for $50 – $120.

Lifetime Guarantee

There is no better way to pass beloved Bach Choir traditions and the benefits you have enjoyed as a Guarantor along to a younger family member.  Your Lifetime Guarantee donation of $25,000 may be made as an outright gift, a pledge with an initial deposit and a five-year payment plan or as part of your estate plan with an initial payment of $5,000.  Your Lifetime Guarantee enables you to pass your member number and associated benefits on to one designated family member.   Once you have established your Lifetime Guarantee, you will no longer pay an annual pledge.  When your number passes to the designee, he or she will not pay an annual pledge.

Contact the Development Office for more information.

 

Endowment / Planned Gifts

Our endowment enables us to plan for a strong financial future for The Bach Choir of Bethlehem. All planned gifts are directed to our endowment and help us sustain and grow that fund. Planned gifts may be made in several ways:

Bequest: naming the Bach Choir as a beneficiary in your will
Insurance policy: designating The Bach Choir as beneficiary of an insurance policy
Please consult your financial advisor about funding using the following financial instruments:

  • Charitable Lead or Remainder Trusts
  • Income-Producing Charitable Gift Annuity

Endowment Funds

The Musical Excellence Fund

The Musical Excellence Endowment Fund includes undesignated funds to the endowment to sustain the Choir’s long-term objectives and enhances annual giving from individuals, foundations, corporations and government.

Other Funds

The following designated endowment funds allow for continuous contributions to specific areas in which The Bach Choir would like to increase activity or plan for capital expenses:

The Archives and History Fund — We are seeking a naming opportunity for this fund and establishing gifts are sought. These funds will support the culturally rich and diverse archival collection of The Bach Choir which contains materials of our over 100 year history.

Artistic Director and Conductor’s Fund — Introduced in 2017 for support of the salary of the artistic director and conductor of The Bach Choir.

The Joseph W. Ayers Maintenance Fund — This fund provides support for maintenance of The Choir’s musical instruments and office improvements and equipment.

The David & Carol Beckwith and Jack & Betsy Jordan Choir Recognition Fund — The over 90 volunteer singers in The Choir contribute over 10,000 hours each concert season in rehearsals and performances. This fund helps us subsidize the cost of musical scores and provides opportunities for musical and vocal enrichment and well-deserved expressions of appreciation, including our annual Choir dinner.

The Linda J. Danglemajer Educational Outreach Fund — These funds support our educational outreach programs including: Bach To School, Bach at Noon, Bach Choir Choral Scholars, and Family Concerts.

The Fairbairn Family Choir Development Fund — This fund helps support additional training activities for our Choir.

The Anthony R. Thompson & Vickie Ziegler Thompson Fund for Heckewelder House — This fund sustains the costs associated with operating the Bach Choir headquarters, including renovations, furnishing/equipment and annual costs such as rent, utilities and maintenance.

The Ifor Jones Memorial Chamber Music Concert Fund — This fund supports the chamber music concert series at our annual Festival.

The Recordings & Broadcasts Fund — A naming opportunity is still available for this fund which will support The Choir’s legacy of outstanding audio and video recordings.  It also provides opportunities for archival recordings and expansion of local, regional and national broadcasts.

The Research & Scholarship Fund — A naming opportunity exists for this fund, designed to support continuing expansion of The Bach Choir’s research and scholarship activities.

Volunteers and Internships

Share your time and talent

Volunteers

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem welcomes members of the community to join our “family” and assist us with any number of events and activities throughout the season.

Hospitality Committee:
Our Hospitality Committee supports the Bach Choir staff’s efforts to ensure that our friends and patrons have the best possible experience at Bach Choir events!

Bach Choir friends and Choir alumni can help make our guests feel welcomed by serving in a number of ways:

  • Bethlehem Bach Festival: Be present under the Hospitality Tent and to greet patrons, provide directions, answer questions about the Festival and the Choir, etc.
  • Provide on-site assistance to our patrons at all events and concerts as needed
  • Help with our special events and social receptions (planning, set-up, greeting, etc.)
  • Share your ideas to help us develop new and interesting social opportunities

Please contact Cheryl Dungan, Development Officer at 610.866.4382 ext. 113 or cheryl@bach.org

House Staff:
Concerts: Our ushers attend performances and assist with seating and program distribution, helping to ensure that our audience members have an enjoyable experience.

  • Choose the concerts that fit your schedule, including our Bach at Noon performances, Festival concerts and events and others throughout the year in Bethlehem and Allentown.
  • House Staff typically reports about one hour prior to the start of the concert, and helps collect any programs (or other items) left behind at the end of the performance.
  • Based on seating availability, attendance at each performance is “comped” and House Staff enjoys it at no cost.

Office Assistance: Help Bach Choir staff prepare mailings or promotional materials, file paperwork and programs or perform other clerical tasks.

Please fill out our online form below or download a PDF and return it to the office.

House Staff / Volunteers

List of volunteer opportunities at the Choir
  • Volunteer as an usher at our Christmas Concert, with performances in Allentown and Bethlehem. You may choose one or both concerts.
  • Please arrive no later than 11:15AM; doors open at 11:30AM. Some seats reserved for guests of the Board or the Staff; additionally, school groups attending the concerts require reserved rows. Tasks include greeting the audience members and distributing programs at each door, managing the free will offering baskets and canvas bags at the conclusion of each performance; retrieving programs / paperwork from pews.
  • Please arrive no later than 11:15AM; doors open at 11:30AM. Some seats reserved for guests of the Board or the Staff; additionally, school groups attending the concerts require reserved rows. Tasks include greeting the audience members and distributing programs at each door, managing the free will offering baskets and canvas bags at the conclusion of each performance; retrieving programs / paperwork from pews.
  • Zoellner Arts Center staff will seat the audience at the Ifor Jones Chamber Music Concert at 10:30 am. Please check if you would like a complimentary ticket.
  • Zoellner Arts Center staff will seat the audience at the Ifor Jones Chamber Music Concert at 10:30 am. Please check if you would like a complimentary ticket.
  • Assist Development Officer with receptions for patrons, held at selected concerts throughout the season. Duties vary but may include one or more of the following: Picking up catering trays from venues and delivering to reception location; Setting up food & drink at receptions; Tidying up following the reception.
  • Our office hours are typically from 8:30 to 4:30 pm. Any amount of time you are able to contribute is helpful!

Please contact Ebony Stevens, Marketing Manager at 610.866.4382 ext. 115 or ebony@bach.org.

We welcome you to call the office and discuss ways you may be able to share your time and talent with us!

Internships

College students interested in exploring internships with the Choir are encouraged to inquire about opportunities with us. Please contact contact Leela Breithaupt, Executive Director at 610.866.4382 ext. 111 or lbreithaupt@bach.org.

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem Non-Profit Information

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem is recognized by the U.S. IRS as a non-profit corporation under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The official registration and financial information of the Bach Choir may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania: 1 800-732-0999.

Download Form 990

Registered Solicitation States