The Bach Choir of Bethlehem is celebrating its 128th anniversary season.

“We have a lot of great things planned for this year, including a return trip to Leipzig [Germany] for the 300th anniversary of the ‘St. Matthew Passion,’” says Dr. Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

“We are the only choir representing North America in the multi-continental performance, which is such an honor,” Jackson says.

The 2026-’27 season opened with the 150th “Bach at Noon” concert Sept. 8. The free series continues through April 2027 on the second Tuesday of the month in Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem.

Says Jackson, “Various genres are represented at these concerts such as Renaissance and early classical works, but performances always center around Johann Sebastian Bach in some way.”

In partnership with the American Bach Society, the 13th “Biennial Bach Vocal Competition for American Singers” follows Oct. 24, Peter Hall, Moravian University. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are required.

“One of my goals is to find ways to pair Bach in conversation with other eras and composers. We accomplish this during the Christmas season by pairing the opening cantata from Bach’s ‘Christmas Oratorio’ with a setting of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ by composer Benedict Sheehan,” Jackson says. Performances are Dec. 12, Egner Memorial Chapel, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, and Dec. 13, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.

“Harmony of the Spheres” is the theme of the “Greg Funfgeld Family Concert,” Feb. 20, 2027, Da Vinci Science Center, Allentown. The concert has works related to Leonardo da Vinci, including Eric Whitacre’s “Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine.”

The spring concert, March 21, 2027, Grace Church, Bethlehem, features Joby Talbot’s “Path of Miracles,” which traces the pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Arranged for choir and 17 solo voices, “it is one of the most remarkable pieces of music written in the last 20 years,” says Jackson.

The Bach Choir’s signature event is the 119th “Bach Festival,” May 13 through May 16, 2027, various venues, in Bethlehem.

“Bach Festival” highlights include:

“Outside the Bachs”: Eliot Fisk, Festival Artist-in-Residence and virtuoso guitarist;

“Films from the Archives,” with Bach Archivist Cory Dieterly;

Barnette Distinguished Scholar Lecture: Musicologist and historic performance keyboardist Rebecca Cypress discusses Felix Mendelssohn’s arrangement of the “St. Matthew Passion”;

“Bach at 4”: Bach Choir members, Executive Director Leela Breithaupt, flute soloist; Christopher Jackson, bass character of Schlendrian, Bach’s “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht,” BWV 211, the “Coffee Cantata”; Artist-in-Residence Eliot Fisk’s transcription of Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor”;

Festival Dinner: Talk by Dr. Larry Lipkis, Professor of Music and Composer-in-Residence, Moravian University;

“Bach at 7”: Felix Mendelssohn’s “St. Matthew Passion”;

“Ifor Jones Chamber Music Concert”: Featured clarinetist Dominic Giardino and harpsichordist Charlotte Mattax Moersch explore the influence of Bach on Felix Mendelssohn;

J.S. Bach’s “Mass in B Minor,” Parts 1 and 2;

“Zimmermann’s Coffee House”: Chamber music performed by auditioned young musicians;

“Chamber Music in the Saal”: Guest harpsichordist and early music specialist Marc Bellassai presents “Fond Farewells,” including selections by J.S. Bach.

The season concludes with the “Bachfest Leipzig 2027 Tour,” June 8 - June 15.

“We at the Bach Choir of Bethlehem hope people come to see and hear us throughout the season,” says Jackson, adding, “It’s hard to choose, so come to all of the concerts!”

Bach Choir of Bethlehem 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