This season, The Bach Choir is celebrating its 150th birthday. The celebratory programme of concerts kicked off earlier in the month with an epic Mahler 8 in St Paul’s Cathedral, and there are sure to be more exhilarating moments to experience in this exciting programme. The works will span the very best in choral music – some will focus on The Bach Choir’s prestigious roots, while others will look forward to the next 150 years of choral music. We’re certain you’ll agree that it’s definitely a programme fit for the occasion!
Celebrating our roots with Bach’s Mass in B minor
The Bach Choir was formed in 1876 to sing the UK premiere of this very work. We’d like to think that our founding members knew what a crucial work this would become, but we suspect that even they couldn’t have predicted that it would touch the hearts of so many.
150 years on, we’re taking Bach’s masterpiece to Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall with our friends from Florilegium, who have been our faithful collaborators for so many St Matthew Passion performances. We’ll also be joined by four award-winning soloists – Nardus Williams, Helen Charlston, Sam Furness and Neal Davies.
Looking to the future with Vocalise! Journeys
Our 150th anniversary season isn’t just about our past. We have a long history of commissioning new works and our Vocalise! programme has been sharing the joy of singing in London classrooms for 15 years now. This year, we’re combining the two – composer Stephanie Jayne Amies won our Vocalise! Commission last year with her work based on the life cycle of the Common Swift, entitled Swifts of Summer. This fascinating piece explores themes of migration, nature and the environment while packing in some seriously memorable melodies. The work will be premiered at Kensington Great Hall by this year’s cohort of Vocalise! children, David Hill, The Bach Choir and an ensemble of professional musicians. Tickets for this special concert will be available shortly…
Showing our versatility and precision at Au Printemps – Into Spring
We’re well-known for singing large-scale works alongside some of the world’s top orchestras, but in recent years we’ve been showcasing a lesser-known side to our singing at our Into Spring concert series where we sing music for choir and organ. This year, Duruflé’s Requiem will top the bill at Holy Trinity Sloane Square alongside works from Fauré and Poulenc. This is your chance to get closer than ever to The Bach Choir.
A festive favourite at Cadogan Hall
Carols at Cadogan will be a familiar concert to many in our audience – fans return year on year to bask in the joy that only a festive singalong like this can bring. Every year we celebrate Christmas with a selection of works both traditional and modern. Attendees will also be treated to a number of brand new works from the winners of the Sir David Willcocks Carol Competition, which is our annual competition for composers of all ages to submit their new carol compositions. Be sure to warm up your vocal cords beforehand – singing along with many works will be actively encouraged by maestro David Hill!
Renewing our traditions with the St Matthew Passion
We’ve been singing the St Matthew Passion annually since 1931, and our 150th Anniversary Season special will renew this cherished tradition with another extraordinary performance. This concert is one of the most unique and renowned in the choral calendar for good reason!
Every year we invite an exceptional cast to the occasion – Toby Spence, Ben Hulett, Grammy winner Chris Purves, returnee Simon Shibambu, Lucy Crowe and Carolyn Dobbin are our 2026 soloists while David Hill, London Youth Choirs and Florilegium return to round out the ensemble. The tradition might be 94 years old, but this work still feels as fresh as anything in 2025!
Save up to £20 on tickets
There’s something for everyone this season, and everyone is welcome in the celebrations. If you spread the word and come as a group, you can make big savings – our group booking discounts will give 15% or 25% off if you bring 6-9 or 10+ attendees respectively (that’s up to a £20.75 reduction per ticket).
Friends of The Bach Choir also save 15% on all tickets, and receive a host of other benefits, too – you can find out more about those below.
Join the celebrations now
Extraordinary milestones like this don’t come around often, and we believe that they must be celebrated. Book now to join the celebrations and experience the very best that choral music has to offer. Your seat is waiting – don’t wait for someone else to fill it!