Did Bach die of diabetes?
The manner of Bach’s illness in his late years and his subsequent death has been a subject on which many music historians and Bach scholars have fiercely debated. This week is Diabetes Awareness Week (11 – 17 June), offering us the perfect opportunity to ask; did Bach...
Performer Focus: Tristan Fry
“I appeared on soundtracks for most of the James Bond films (since Goldfinger), Pink Panther, Alien, the Harry Potters, and Lord of the Rings…” o Tell us a bit about yourself, and your training and career to date? I joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO)...
Did Handel steal from Bach?
Transformative imitation or just plain theft? Bach’s Cantata 21 Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis (I had much grief) is described as “one of the most extraordinary and inspired of Bach’s vocal works” (John Eliot Gardiner). With eleven movements lasting about 40...
Choral Scholarships 2018-19
We are pleased to announce the launch of twelve Choral Scholarships for 2018-19 These new scholarships will provide an opportunity for young aspiring singers to develop their solo singing within the musical programme of the Oxford Bach Soloists. With the generous...
Performer Focus: James Jenkins
“Since moving to Oxford I have spent my time pursing singing as a profession, studying languages, and perfecting Mary Berry’s Banana Bread recipe for my bake-off CV…” o Tell us a bit about yourself, and your training and career to date? I’m currently a Lay Clerk...
Performer Focus: Cecilia Osmond
“I went to St Paul’s Girls’ School as a violinist and pianist, but found myself drawn to singing during my time at school. By the end of my three years as a choral scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, I knew I wanted to pursue a career as a singer rather than a...
Message from our Artistic Director
A video message from our Artistic Director Click to find out more:...
Performer Focus: Alexander Chance
“I was born in London, but lived in Norfolk for most of my childhood. Though never a Chorister, I sang as a treble in school choirs until the age of about 14, when I convinced myself and others that my voice was breaking (it wasn’t), and pretended to be a...
Music for the Dukes
Oxford Bach Soloists brings to life two of Bach’s earliest cantatas on 4 March composed during his time in service to the Weimar Dukes – but it’s not as simple as it sounds… We begin with Duke Johann-Ernst II. He had two sons who ruled jointly after his...
Lutheran Vespers
Join us in the glorious setting of New College Chapel, Oxford for a reconstruction of Lutheran Vespers on 21 January featuring JS Bach’s joyous Cantata for the day. Following the two successful reconstructions of Lutheran Vespers in 2017, there will be another...
Performer Focus: George Robarts
Baritone George Robarts first sang with Oxford Bach Soloists in January 2015 during his second year at Oxford. Since then he has performed regularly as a soloist and chorus member. We find our more about his career as a singer… Tell us a bit about yourself, your...
Performer Focus: Simon Desbruslais
Trumpeter Simon Desbruslais will be one of the soloists in the next Oxford Bach Soloists concert on 10 December Wake Up! Simon studied at King’s College London, before specialising in both solo and baroque performance at the Royal College of Music, followed by a...
A Christmas Feast
This year’s run up to Christmas sees three sensational events from the Oxford Bach Soloists – two in Oxford and one in Bath. So get into the seasonal spirit with our spectacular line up of Christmas events… WAKE UP! Telemann’s vibrant Italianate Trumpet Concerto...
Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart
The next concert from Oxford Bach Soloists on 19 November features music by Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart – three of the greatest composers in the world of classical music. We find out a bit more about the background to these famous composers… We start with Bach...
Performer Focus: Noel Rainbird
In this edition we meet bassoonist Noel Rainbird who at York University did a module on music and poetry and wrote a thesis on Music in the Third Reich. So how did you find yourself specialising in period music? I was studying modern bassoon with Martin Gatt,...
What to expect at our Magnificat concert
Coming up in November from the Oxford Bach Soloists is a concert featuring music by Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart. One of the highlights will be Vivaldi’s glorious setting of the Magnificat. We find out more… Bach’s popular and wonderful Magnificat often...
Bach Cantata: Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott (BWV 129)
The date of composition of this cantata is uncertain. It seems probable that Bach first performed it either during the 1726 Reformation Festival, which was always celebrated in Leipzig on 31st October, or on Trinity Sunday in the following year. Thereafter the piece...
Gelobet sei der Herr (Singing the Creed Joyfully)
Johann Olearius’ (1611-1684) hymn ‘Gelobet sei der Herr’ is a quintessential Lutheran chorale. To access this post, you must purchase Dresden Court, Friend of Oxford Bach Soloists or Leipzig...
