Junior Bach Festival

Junior Bach Festival performers will serenade commuters from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the open space by the kiosks at the foot of the escalator (1 level down from the street). Come hear J. S. Bach’s music played with great skill and youthful exuberance! In celebration of its 64th year, the Junior Bach Festival proudly presents a new generation of talented young soloists and ensembles. Selected through professionally adjudicated auditions, the Festival showcases performers under age 21 who are both technically virtuosic and capable of communicating the genius of Bach’s compositional language.

The Junior Bach Festival is a well-respected Bay Area institution. (In 1965, the California State Assembly issued an official proclamation in the Festival’s honor!) The Festival presents annually a concert series around the time of Bach’s birthday on March 21 in venues throughout the Bay Area.

The Festival also promotes the appreciation and study of Bach’s music by offering an annual public Workshop; with the audience, Bach experts examine topics such as baroque style, ornamentation, or ensemble playing. In recent years, the Festival has collaborated with local music organizations to offer students an opportunity during the Workshop to try out a period keyboard, stringed instrument, or wind instrument like those from Bach’s time.

Other public Festival offerings include our performer’s participation in the international Bach in the Subway event on March 21 and access to past Festival performances on a special YouTube channel.

Throughout the years, many Junior Bach alumni have pursued musical careers both internationally and locally as soloists, chamber musicians, orchestral performers, opera or chorus singers, respected teachers, musicologists, music librarians, and arts managers.

Additional information about the Junior Bach Festival may be found on the Organization’s website, https://www.juniorbach.org/.