About the Festival & Symposium

Click here to view pictures from our 2023 Festival & Symposium =>

The UMass Amherst Bach Festival and Symposium was launched in April 2015.  The biennial event attracts exceptional musicians and scholars of international stature to UMass Amherst, connects them to our students, alumni and faculty, and through robust collaboration, creates an event of artistic and academic excellence that enriches all who come in contact with it.   Link to online pdf program book =>

April 21-23, 2023 at UMass Amherst

Featured Festival performance (live):

Andrew Megill, guest conductor
Andrew Megill
Saturday, April 22, 7:30pm, Tillis Hall: Bach’s Mass in B Minor
Andrew Megill, guest conductor
With the UMass Bach Festival Orchestra & Chorus
Lindsay Pope, chorus master
Kristen Watson & Ava D’Agostino, soprano; Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano; Brian Giebler, tenor & Andrew Garland, baritone
Tickets available at 413-545-2511 or Online
$25 general; $20 seniors; students & children free

Other Festival performances:

Wednesday, April 5, 7:30pm, The Drake Theater, 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Bach Festival Prelude Concert: Exploring Bach’s Voices
With host, UMass Music History Prof. Evan MacCarthy
Info/tickets=>

Friday, April 21, 4pm, Bezanson, Free: Faculty Concert: Steven Beck, piano
Bach’s The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Link to YouTube livestream =>

Sunday, April 23, 11:30am: Bach’s Coffee Cantata BWV 211, Amherst Coffee, 28 Amity St., Free
With alumni singers and instrumentalists in an informal setting
Please note: Space is limited.

Vijay Iyer
Vijay Iyer

Sunday, April 23, 3:30pm, Bowker- Codemakers: Bach-related performance works
Vijay Iyer, Texu Kim, Hyeyung Sol Yoon (world premiere)

Co-presented with the UMass Asian & Asian American Arts & Culture Program   (More info)

See the Festival Concerts  and Prelude Events pages for further details. All programs are subject to change.

Scholarly Symposium:   (in-person and hybrid)

Isabella van Elferen
Isabella van Elferen

J.S. Bach and Timbre
Isabella van Elferen, Keynote speaker

Friday, April 21, 7:30pm, Bromery 419, Free: Panel Discussion with guest & faculty presenters
Saturday, April 22, 9:30am – 5:30pm, Bromery 419: Scholarly Symposium & Keynote Address

Saturday Symposium fee: $25 in-person attendees; $5 students (lunch included); cash or check accepted at the event. Free for Remote participants.
Registration (both in-person & remote)=>

See Description    Schedule    Presenters/Moderators

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