Looking Bach: Gala concert by Bach, J. S., S 19 nov 2022, No (2022/2022), Conway Hall, London, United Kingdom

To finish 2022 with a celebration, we are putting on an event at Conway Hall in London showcasing two collections by J. S. Bach compiled around 300 years ago. The first, his ‘Well-Tempered Clavier’ Book 1, has rightly gone down in history as a benchmark for keyboard composition, exhibiting pieces in all possible keys; the second, a scrapbook-style collection or ‘playlist’ of pieces for keyboard and voices compiled in 1725 for, and most certainly with, his soprano wife Anna Magdalena. Our main keyboardists will be Libby Burgess (piano) and David Gordon (harpsichord), who will be joined by professional singers, a jazz trio, an electronic sound artist, our Children’s Choir, and our young resident pianists. Short talks, explanations, and demonstrations will be given over the course of the performance and various installations and art pieces will be displayed in other rooms to bring Bach to life. This will truly be an evening for everyone, where we will show our audience Bach’s genius and craft from some unexpected angles. After the performance, our jazz musicians will carry on the party so you can relax into some socialising over drinks, just like Bach and his family were experts at doing!