The Bach Choir 150th Anniversary Season

The Bach Choir, the UK’s leading independent chorus, have announced their 150th anniversary season, a celebration of fifteen decades of the Choir’s rich history and its contribution to the choral tradition past and present. Alongside their namesake, the season honours some of the wide spectrum of composers and works which they’ve become well-known for singing as well as pop and rock collaborations with some of the UK’s leading talents which will showcase the versatility of the choir’s repertoire.   

In their 150th year the Choir will focus on some of the greatest choral music of the past. There’s an explosive start to the season as the Choir sings Mahler’s Symphony No 8 at St Paul’s Cathedral. Conducted by The Bach Choir’s Musical Director David Hill MBE, the performance will feature an expanded Philharmonia Orchestra including mandolin, harmonium and more, London Youth Choirs and eight soloists will bolster the power that The Bach Choir are so well-known for.

As is tradition, the Choir will also give their 96th annual performance of the St Matthew Passion at Easter-time alongside long-standing partners at this concert, Florilegium. 

The 150th season will culminate in a performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor at the Royal Festival Hall in May 2026. The Choir will also be creating two special episodes of their ARIA Award-Winning podcast Change Your Tune, about Bach’s most popular works.

In addition to being renowned for their classical repertoire and performances of Bach’s work, the Choir is also recognised for its versatility and range, which will be celebrated through a  number of performances this anniversary year. In November, the Choir will make their fourth consecutive appearance at the Festival of Remembrance, which will be broadcast live on the BBC and the Bach Choir’s Into Spring concerts, a series of intimate performances set within Holy Trinity Sloane Square, will bring audiences closer than ever to The Bach Choir. The 2026 edition will feature Duruflé’s Requiem performed alongside two works by Poulenc. 

The Bach Choir are also looking ahead to the next 150 years of choral music with their programming and will premiere 4 new pieces including a special commission by composer Stephanie Jayne Amies as part of The Bach Choir’s 2026 Vocalise! Summer Performance. Amies won the Choir’s open commission for this concert with a work based around the life cycle of the Common Swift. In November, the Choir will perform a new work by The Bach Choir’s President Sir John Rutter entitled I’ll make me a world to celebrate his 80th birthday, and in December they’ll also perform new works by the winners of the Sir David Willcocks Carol Competition at their annual Carols at Cadogan.

Further Information available from the website: The Bach Choir