“We are thrilled to launch our new Festival experience, now transformed into one unforgettable four-day weekend,” says Dr. Christopher Jackson, Bach Choir of Bethlehem Artistic Director and Conductor.

“The entire festival is organized over virtuoso string playing prominent during Bach’s time,” Jackson says.

The “117th Bethlehem Bach Festival” is May 8-11 in Bethlehem.

The Festival opens at 7 p.m. May 8 with a performance by guitar and violin duo Fire & Grace and Flamenco artist Fanny Ara.

The oldest record of flamenco music dates to 1774 although scholars believe it may have originated during the 15th and 16th centuries.

New this year:

“Bach & Books: Festival Family Storytime,” 10 a.m. May 9, Children’s Center, Bethlehem Area Public Library, and

“Bach Choir Films from the Archives,” moderated by Bach Choir Archivist Cory Dieterly, 11 a.m. May 9, Room 145, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University.

For the “Barnette Distinguished Scholar Lecture,” 2 p.m. May 9, Room 145, Zoellner Arts Center, Dr. Daniel R. Melamed discusses “J.S. Bach and His String Players.”

Melamed is Professor Emeritus, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; past President, American Bach Society, and Director, Bloomington Bach Cantata Project.

Two “Bach Chorale Sings” will be held. The first session, 3:30 p.m. May 9, Incarnation of Our Lord Church, Bethlehem, precedes the 4 p.m. May 9 “Bach at 4” concert. The second session, 2 p.m. May 10, Packer Memorial Church, Lehigh University, precedes the 2:30 p.m. May 10 “Mass in B Minor, BWV 232” Part 1.

“Bach at 8,” 8 p.m. May 9, Packer Memorial Church, features the Bach Festival Orchestra, Bach Choir, soloists, and Artist-in-Residence Rachell Ellen Wong in J.S. Bach’s “Cantata: In allen meinen Taten BWV 97” and “Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor BWV 1043,” and George Frideric Handel’s “Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne.”

The “Ifor Jones Memorial Chamber Music Concert,” 10:30 a.m. May 10, Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center, features Wong and the Bach Festival Orchestra in Chevalier de Saint-Georges Joseph Bologne’s thrilling “Violin Concerto in G Major, Op. 8, No. 9,” J. S. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3” and Giuseppe Tartini’s “Devil’s Trill Sonata.”

The Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem performs 11:45 a.m. May 10, lobby, Zoellner Arts Center.

The Bach Choir’s annual performance of J.S. Bach’s “Mass in B Minor BWV 232” is May 10, Packer Memorial Church, with Part 1 at 2:30 p.m. and Part 2 at 4:30 p.m. The sessions are available as a livestream.

“Zimmerman’s Coffee House,” 7 p.m. May 10, Peter Hall, Moravian University, features Baroque chamber music performed by auditioned young musicians in a café style setting. Light refreshments are available for purchase.

The 117th Festival concludes with “Chamber Music in the Saal,” 11 a.m. May 11, Moravian Museum, Bethlehem, featuring Andrew Gonzalez on violoncello da spalla, a five-stringed mini-cello played on the shoulder which was the instrument for which Bach wrote his most virtuosic cello works; 11 a.m. May 11, “Christian Family Lovefeast,” Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem, and 2:30 p.m. May 11, “Cantata in Context,” featuring Bach’s “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140,” Central Moravian Church.

Bach Festival Artist-in-Residence Rachell Ellen Wong was the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, the only baroque artist to receive the honor in the respected program’s history, and Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition, Long Island, N.Y.

Wong has appeared as a soloist on six continents and established herself as one of the leading historical performers of her generation, collaborating with esteemed ensembles, including the Academy of Ancient Music, Bach Collegium Japan, The English Concert and Les Arts Florissant.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Indiana University and The Juilliard School.

The Bach Festival Orchestra Concertmaster is Elizabeth Field. Guest artists include soprano Sherezade Panthaki, mezzo-soprano Meg Bragle, tenor Dann Coakwell and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody.

“There is something on the program for everyone,” says Jackson. “We have four days packed with amazing performances and amazing music.”

117th Bach Festival of Bethlehem, May 8-11; Ticket information: Bach Choir office, 440 Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem; office@bach.org; 610-866-4382 ext. 110 or 115; https://bach.org/tickets/

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com