Unwind. connect. be inspired.
LAUNCH NOTIFICATION
Don’t miss at note – sign up for news of our full launch in August. You’ll get information on our fall preview events as well as our festival opening season which begins January 2025
MISSION
Founded in 2024 by renowned baroque violinist Tekla Cunningham, The Seattle Bach Festival serves the Seattle area with great performances of the masterworks of JS Bach and pearls of the Baroque. From large scale works like Oratorios, Cantatas and Passions to the chamber music and solo works, we offer you a portal into a world of beauty, passion, joy, learning and community.
Our mission is to inspire with performances of masterworks of Bach and pearls of the Baroque that move and uplift the spirits, nourish hearts, open minds, and convene community.
The Seattle Bach Festival values a culture that invites you to feel welcomed, seen and heard. We welcome new listeners to our community through outreach events, dedication to our high-quality digital offerings, and educational programs that engage and inspire.
PROGRAMS
- Stress Reduction: Find solace in the calming power of Bach’s music.
- Intimate Performances: Feel every nuance with close proximity to world-class musicians.
- Musical Discovery: Unearth hidden treasures alongside beloved classics.
- Community Connection: Connect with fellow music enthusiasts and share your passion.
- Learning Opportunities: Deepen your understanding with enriching lectures and discussions.
- Memorable Moments: Create lasting memories with family and friends.
The screening of the award-winning documentary ”Living Bach” serves as an announcement of Seattle Bach Festival. The film shows better than any words can tell the enduring global appeal and power of Bach’s music. There will be a live performance with Seattle Bach Festival artists before the film screening, a community sing along, and a Q & A session after the screening.
About the Film
There are more than 300 Bach choirs and Bach ensembles worldwide. For many, their lives are inextricably linked with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. What do people seek and find in his music? What connects them across continents? What fascination lies in the music of the famous German composer, which manages to transcend borders, cultures, religions and centuries? The film embarks on a journey through six continents to meet amateur musicians and singers who have made Bach their “centerpiece.”
A celebratory convocation and kick off of the Seattle Bach Festival with all the bells and whistles: a full baroque orchestra with trumpets, timpani and winds. Cantata 29 was written for the “Ratswechsel” in Leipzig, a lavish ceremony celebrating the inauguration of the new Leipzig Town Council and a fitting and joyful start for our Seattle Bach Festival.
PROGRAM: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4
Cantata 29 “Wir Danken Dir”
TBD
Thursday, April 10 7:30 pm at Meany Hall, Seattle
This recital brings music for solo baroque violin to life with the stunning choreography of Anna Mansbridge. UW Artist-in-Residence Tekla Cunningham plays works for solo baroque violin by Pisendel, Telemann, Melia Watras and J.S. Bach’s d minor partita. See, hear and feel the heartbreak and solace of Bach’s iconic Ciaccona as embodied on the Meany Hall stage by dancers Tshedzom Tingkhye and Alejandro Frederickson in choreography by Anna Mansbridge. A collaboration with the University of Washington School of Music.
- May 9-11, 2025
- May 9, 7:30 pm Tacoma venue tbd
- May 10, 7:30 pm, Trinity Lutheran, Lynnwood
- May 11, 3 pm St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle
PROGRAM
Cantata BWV 140, “Wachet auf”
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, BWV 1046
Cantata BWV BWV 147, “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben”
SUPPORT
The Seattle Bach Festival relies on your friendship and generous financial support to bring exceptional performances and outreach offerings to our region and to share your love of the music of JS Bach and the Baroque with new audiences. Your sponsorship underwrites great performances that awaken awe, enliven and strengthen our community, spread joy, and contribute to the high quality of life in the Seattle area.
ARTISTS
Danielle Reutter-Harrah, Cecilia Duarte, Tyler Duncan, Vocal Soloists
Kris Kwapis, Jens Jacobsen, Gordon Ullman, baroque trumpets
Debra Nagy, Curtis Foster, baroque oboes
Anna Marsh, baroque bassoon
Tekla Cunningham, Chloe Meyers, Cynthia Black, Brandon Vance, Christine Wilkinson Beckman, baroque violins
Stef Creswell and Lindsey Strand-Polyak, baroque violas
Bill Skeen, baroque cello
Ross Gilliland, baroque bass and violone
John Lenti, theorbo
Henry Lebedinsky, organ and harpsichord
Mark Goodenberger, baroque timpani
BOARD
Tekla Cunningham
Dr. Kris Kwapis
Byron Rakitzis
Dr. Carole Terry