News & Features
Bach in Leipzig
In 1723 Bach landed the top job - the most prestigious musical position in Protestant Germany. It was here in Leipzig that Bach’s glittering masterpiece, the Christmas Oratorio was premiered at two of the city’s finest churches. So what exactly was Bach’s role in...
Bach’s Christmas Story
A sumptuous Christmas musical feast awaits us this Christmas Eve with a performance of the first three parts of Bach’s glittering masterpiece - the Christmas Oratorio - at 5pm in the magnificent setting of New College Chapel. But how did Bach go about telling his...
Performer Focus: Bojan Čičić
This month we meet violinist Bojan Čičić. One of the rising stars of the world of period performance, Bojan is the leader of the orchestra for the Oxford Bach Soloists and also the Blenheim Singers, both of which are directed by Tom Hammond Davies. We started by...
Singing the Reformation video launch
A 26-minute video has been launched featuring the Oxford Bach Soloists 2016 tour to Germany with Singing the Reformation under their director Tom Hammond Davies. The film traces the tour in July to some of the most fascinating historic buildings in Lower Saxony....
Wake up to Bach this weekend
This Sunday at 3.15pm Tom Hammond Davies directs the Oxford Bach Soloists in a performance of two of Bach’s amazing Cantatas in the glorious setting of New College, Oxford. But why did Bach compose these works? Bach wrote Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! (Watch! Pray!...
What makes an ‘authentic’ performance?
The Oxford Bach Soloists pride themselves on presenting authentic performances of Bach Cantatas - but what does this actually mean? Nicholas Keyworth finds out more from director Tom Hammond Davies. What is the attraction of performing on authentic instruments? The...
Performer Focus: Elspeth Piggott
This month we meet one of the regular performers with the Oxford Bach Soloists, Elspeth Piggott, a young soprano living in Oxford who has recently started out as a free-lance choral professional. Elspeth grew up in a musically oriented environment, both her parents...
‘Wachet Auf’: The Meaning Behind the Music
On 20 November Tom Hammond-Davies directs the Oxford Bach Soloists in a performance of Bach’s famous cantata Wachet Auf! described by the scholar Klaus Hofmann as one of the composer's 'most beautiful, most mature and, at the same time, most popular sacred cantatas'....
Two exciting concerts to enjoy before Christmas
Two exciting concerts celebrating the music of J.S.Bach are scheduled in the atmospheric setting of New College, Oxford with Wake up to Bach! in November and the famous Christmas Oratorio on Christmas Eve. Wake Up to Bach! It’s time to Wake up to two of Bach’s amazing...
Performer Focus: Robert Quinney
The Oxford Bach Soloists perform Bach Revived as part of the Oxford Lieder Festival on 21 October. In addition to cantatas by Bach the concert also features organ music by Schumann performed by Robert Quinney, Director of the Choir of New College, Oxford. We caught...