The Bach Passion Cycle over four years
In 1705 in the depths of winter, twenty year old Bach set off to walk from Arnstadt to Lubeck in Northern Germany, a distance of more than 250 miles. Then earning a modest living as a teacher and organist, he went to visit the composer Dieterich Buxtehude to study his art and craft.
'This was a pivotal point in the life of arguably the greatest composer the world has yet seen. Lubeck was Bach's moment, when a young teacher began his journey to become the master of the Baroque'. Horatio Clare, author, "Something of his art".
Ipswich Chamber Choir will perform one Bach Passion each year from 2022 to 2025.
“Doing 4 Bach Passions is one thing: spending 4 years in the company of Amici Voices, Rachel Stroud’s Geldart Ensemble and of course Ipswich Chamber Choir is going to be bliss”. Benedict Collins Rice
We are fundraising for this exciting project with members taking on The 250 Challenge from 2022. You can help by sponsoring us or by joining our Friends, Patrons and Sponsors scheme. From £30 a year for Friends, the benefits include termly newsletters, complimentary programmes and an invitation to see the choir in rehearsal. Click here for details.
“Inspired by JS Bach’s approach to vocal and instrumental writing, Amici Voices spend their time immersed in the world of the Baroque. They were founded for a performance of Bach's John Passion 10 years ago and revel in bringing this music to life as it might have been heard by contemporary ears.
As the name suggests community and friendship are at the heart of our music making, and we are delighted to collaborate with Ipswich Chamber Choir and Benedict Collins Rice for this performance of such a special setting of the Passion - which will be a first for us as an ensemble.”
Helen Charlston
Mezzo-soprano
“It's a privilege and a delight for The Geldart Ensemble to be joining the Ipswich Chamber Choir for this exciting musical venture. The opening bars of the final movement of our performance of Bach's B minor Mass in 2019 was a rare moment of pure musical magic that will always stay with me, and I'm looking forward to creating many more magical moments throughout the course of this project!”
Rachel Stroud
Leader, The Geldart Ensemble
"I'm truly thrilled to be able to embark on this project to perform J S Bach’s Passions over the next four years with Amici Voices and The Geldart Ensemble - both sets of musicians are truly some of the country's leading performers of this repertoire. As such, this project heralds an exciting new chapter for ICC as we continue to grow our reputation for bringing the very finest musical performances to Ipswich."
Music Director