Founded in 2005 by Alexandra Scheibler, the Montreal Bach Festival has established itself as North America’s leading festival celebrating the timeless musical genius of Johann Sebastian Bach and the cultural heritage he inspires.
Every year in November and December, the Montreal Bach Festival offers some 30 different events: paid and free concerts, public rehearsals, lectures, children’s concerts, meetings with international musicians, and much more.
Today, the festival brings together over 20,000 local and international festival-goers at a dozen iconic Montreal venues, including the Maison symphonique, Salle Bourgie at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Saint Joseph’s Oratory on Mont-Royal, and many of the city’s churches, not to mention the unique performances held in Quebec City at the Palais Montcalm.
The Cello Suites, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor… These are just some of the masterpieces by one of classical music’s most influential composers, Johann Sebastian Bach. His work transcends cultural boundaries and is, by its very nature, universal and inclusive.
Numerous composers have drawn inspiration from this repertoire and brought its music to life through the ages. Over the years, the Montreal Bach Festival has endeavored to help audiences discover and rediscover Bach’s timeless repertoire by inviting local and international artists to perform these works in. “a state of wonder and serenity” (G. Gould).
Perpetuating the music of J.S. Bach bears witness to an ambition that guides the Festival year after year: to disseminate and highlight his musical heritage while creating new, unique, and personal experiences for both artists and audiences.
The depth and complexity of Bach’s compositions offer inexhaustible possibilities for interpretation. In this context, each performance is an opportunity to showcase the excellence of the artists and to share new interpretations of the music of the famous composer.
We’re convinced that, with the right approach, classical music becomes a vehicle for social interaction and sharing.
By offering human experiences in our programming, we reinforce a community spirit and carry out the educational mission advocated by the Montreal Bach Festival.
A number of highlights mark the Festival:
Each edition of the Festival presents the results of explorations and discoveries of artistic excellence. Through concerts, workshops, exchanges with professionals, and meetings with artists, we share the fruits of our mission over the years.
The Montreal Bach Festival is committed to making classical music accessible to all generations and communities. That's why, with each edition, we offer events and live experiences specially designed for a neophyte audience. Everyone is welcome at our festival, and this friendly welcome we extend to our audiences and artists contributes to the renown of our events.
Marie-Christine Tremblay et Jacques Marchand
J. Sebastian van Berkom
Alix d'Anglejan-Chatillon
Manuel Badel
Bernard Bissonnette
Diane Drouin-Birschenk
Karen Goos
Alexandra Heidemann
Rodolphe Husny
Benett Jones LLP
Sabine Kerner
Thomas Leslie
Nadia Moretto & David Sela
Christophe Plantiveau
Guylaine et Guy Rochon
Steven Salamon
Alexandra Scheibler
André Shareck
Gisela Steinle
Elin Stilwell Oldland
Swan Family Fund
Leslie Silver & Laurent Ferreira
Martin J. Valasek
Carmine Venditti
Paul Willox
Dov Zigler