Welcome to the Web site of The Bach Chorale of Grand Rapids

Bach Chorale of Grand Rapids, Events for 2013

Our fall concert will be on Sunday, November 3rd, 7:30pm, at the Basilica of St. Adalbert, 701 4th St. NW, Grand Rapids. We are greatly looking forward to our very first collaboration with the Calvin College Capella, the college's top student choral ensemble.

Martin Werner and Joel Navarro will be co-conductors in a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Gabrieli in 1612. We will perform polychoral music written for the Cathedral of St. Mark in Venice centuries ago, and the choirs will be joined by a brass ensemble. The beautiful acoustics of the magnificent Basilica will greatly enhance this musical experience.

Tickets for the November concert may be ordered starting in September 2013, using the ticket form on our website, and will also be available at the door.

The Bach Chorale has openings for experienced choral musicians for all sections. We are particularly looking for sopranos and tenors. We rehearse Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. Our first rehearsal for fall term 2013 will be September 4.

Auditions are held during the first and second rehearsals of each term, and consist of some vocalises and sight-reading. If you wish to join us, please contact Martin Werner via the contact form.

CD Information Our official CD, recorded in 2008-2009, is available for purchase. Click here to purchase the CD or order concert tickets.

The Bach Chorale was originally assembled by Dr. Martin Werner to perform during the inaugural Grand Rapids Bach Festival in 1997. The chorale served as the core chorus in the 1999 Bach Festival performance of the Mass in B Minor and for the St. John Passion in 2001, under the direction of guest conductor Karl Hochreither.

Dr. Martin Werner studied orchestral conducting, cello and choral conducting in his native Germany before spending a year at California State University, Fullerton as a graduate student and student conductor of the University Singers. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Michigan in 1985 and later served as assistant chorus master for the Concert Choir for the City of Düsseldorf, Germany. He was chorus master of the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus from 1993 to 1999 and has also been choir director for several Grand Rapids churches. In 1997, he became music director and conductor for the Bach Chorale.

In the spring of 2009, the Bach Chorale was incorporated as The Bach Chorale of Grand Rapids. As of April 29, 2009, we have been confirmed as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, able to receive tax-deductible contributions.