We celebrate the incredible efforts of the musicians, administrators and organizers all over the globe whose hard work makes all the exciting Bach in the Subways performances possible. Click on the listed cities to learn more about the Bach lovers in these places on your world. You will find info about performers, organizers & organizations, performance schedules, permitted locations, highlights, and more.
This page is available and open to all Bach in the Subways organizers – if you don’t see your city below and want to, please write us at info@bachinthesubways.org!
Local Leaders
Bach in the Subways would not exist without the hard work and dedication of musicians, music lovers and organizers around the world. Here is a (partial) list of some of the people who help make Bach in the Subways happen each year.
Bratislava (Slovakia): Jaro Slavik
Jaro Slavik is the principal organizer of Bach in the Subways – Bratislava. He first heard about Bach in the Subways on Austrian radio back in 2015, and was instantly amazed by the idea of bringing the music of J.S. Bach so close to so many people. Jaro decided to join the project in 2016 and was happy when Dale Henderson responded enthusiastically to the idea of bringing Bach’s music to the Slovak capital. Bratislava enjoyed 7 concerts for their first Bach in the Subways, including one featuring the Mayor himself, who plays cello.
Budapest (Hungary): Zsombor Tóth-Vajna
Zsombor Tóth-Vajna is one of the main coordinators for Hungary’s Bach in the Subways inspired festival, Bach mindenkinek. Responsible for organizing the city’s extraordinary keyboard programs as well as translating materials into English, Zsombor was initially amazed at the idea that the public could hear Bach’s music performed by various artists outside traditional concert venues.
A leading musical figure of his generation, Zsombor holds degrees from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, University of Miskolc, and Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He has performed across Europe and the USA as a keyboard soloist and conductor, has been Artistic Director of the baroque orchestra Harmonia Caelestis in Budapest since its founding in 2015, and is founder of Piano e Forte Duo with his twin brother, conductor and pianist Gergely. Zsombor also holds a degree in medicine from the Semmelweis University, Budapest, where he is currently engaged in PhD research on the effects of music therapy.
Ciudad Juarez (Mexico): Edgar Camargo
Edgar Camargo first discovered Bach in the Subways through an e-mail invitation and decided to join in Juarez to show the world that his city, once declared one of the most dangerous places in the world, has many good things and that arts have been a powerful vehicle to fight crime.
Born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Edgar started his musical studies in classical guitar at a young age. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez and a Master in Music Performance from the University of Texas at El Paso. He has been awarded several times for his academic achievements and has been nominated for different awards in arts.
He is actively engaged in the Classical Guitar scene of his community and has participated in several local, national, and international concerts as soloist, chamber music, and orchestra. Also, he is director and member of the “Cuarteto Simé” and member of “Dúo del Desierto”.
Today he combines his performance career with being a music teacher and a music researcher.
Japan: Ayano Suzumura
Ayano Suzumura is the coordinator of Bach in the Subways – Japan. Ayano grew up listening to classical music and also learned to play piano and violin as a child, but never imagined herself getting involved in such a big musical movement. When she first heard Dale Henderson play the cello right after moving to New York in 2014, she fell in love with his music and his idea of spreading the love for classical music through Bach in the Subways.
Ayano supports musicians across Japan to participate in Bach in the Subways. Based out of New York, she coordinates with local organizers and has helped more than 24 cities in Japan to join this world wide movement. When Ayano is not planning Bach in the Subways, she works on children’s programs at UNICEF or travels across the world learning about new cultures.
Kampen (The Netherlands): João Ramos Marta
João Ramos Marta is the coordinator of Bach in the Subways – Netherlands. João grew up in a musical family (everybody played an instrument!); he learned to play the flute as a child with his father. The inspiration to bring this musical movement to The Netherlands was his visit and participation in Bach in the Subways 2016 in New York, when he met Dale Henderson. Playing of (classical) music in unusual places was the main driving force force him.
At the ArtEZ University of the arts João coordinates the division young talent and teaches Böhm flute, methodic and chamber music. He is a regularly guest teacher in Joseph Haydn Konservatorium, Austria – Escola Superior de Musica de Lisboa and Universidade de Aveiro in Portugal. He also is the programmer of a classical music series at the Stadsgehoorzaal in Kampen, Holland.
Korea: Heena Yoon
Heena Yoon is the coordinator of Bach in the Subways – Korea. Bach in the Subways just came naturally to her. She has taught music for ten years and cannot agree more with the spirit and mission of BitS – bringing classical to those who have less opportunity to hear it, cultivating future music lovers, and expanding the boundaries of classical music.
Heena is a composer, pianist, researcher of music and dance, and music educator. Her music has been performed in South Korea, USA, Germany and UK. She focuses on collaborative works, especially music and dance. Her work Ho’oponopono was hailed as “absolutely brilliant and experimental sound, perfectly fit to dance” by the art review magazine Dance and Opera, Seoul. As a musician, her artistic goal is to realize the meanings of her name: Boundless Brilliant Beauty. She believes that work with Bach in the Subways is one way to do this.
Monterrey (Mexico): Oscar Arevalo
Oscar Arevalo is the first and principal organizer of Bach in the Subways – Monterrey. He is currently Music Coordinator at the State Council for Culture and Arts (CONARTE) in the northern State of Nuevo León. Prior to his work in CONARTE, he was Coordinator of Programming and International Affairs in the UANL Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble which has been active for more than 50 years.
Oscar Arevalo graduated from the UANL Music School in Classical guitar performance where he also taught guitar for 10 years. After graduating he formed the San Pedro Guitar Quartet. The ensemble performed concerts in cities in Mexico, Cuba and Texas and produced an album with music by Praetorius, Grieg, Cervantes and Bach.
Philadelphia: Jim Pavlock
Jim Pavlock is the principal organizer of Bach in the Subways – Philadelphia. He is a federal prosecutor in Philly, and a serious amateur classical organist and Bach lover. Jim learned about Bach in the Subways simply by searching for Bach performances on Youtube. He saw that Philly didn’t have much participation, unlike other large cities around the world. So he took it upon himself to add Philadelphia to the list of world-class cities! He contacted Dale Henderson at BitS headquarters, and then began reaching out to SEPTA, Amtrak and PATCO. He sent messages to local musicians’ groups, and finally got the Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians to participate! Jim hopes that with more publicity from the Orchestra Musicians, SEPTA, and other classical music groups in the city, Bach in the Subways will become as popular as the cheesesteak in Philly!
Seattle: Karin McCullough
Karin McCullough is now principal coordinator of Bach in the Subways – Seattle, and has been part of the team since 2014. Given her decades-long commitment to performing classical piano music in free-to-the-public mini-concerts in local museums, libraries and retirement homes, the idea of helping make Bach in the Subways a reality in Greater Seattle was most appealing.
Karin took the road less traveled to music: a serious pianist while growing up, she reluctantly suppressed her artistic aspirations and instead worked in law for 23 years until a friend asked her to accompany opera singers on Friday nights. The gig lasted five years and her popularity as an accompanist, soloist, and teacher grew until she was able to trade in her full-time law career for one in music. Karin now maintains a flourishing piano studio in Northwest Seattle. She is past Director of Seattle Music Teachers Association and Musical Experiences, current performing member of Ladies Musical Club of Seattle, Program Director of Haller Lake Music Series, and church pianist for Third Church of Christ. Visit karinmcculloughpiano.com for more.
Tbilisi (Georgia): Ana Vashakmadze
Ana Vashakmadze is the first and principal organizer of Bach in the Subways – Tbilisi. Now a high school senior at the Newton Free School and a student at Tbilisi Central Music School, Ana wanted more young people to get interested and involved in classical music. When she first learned about Bach in the Subways online in early 2015, she felt this was a good way to make that happen. That March she engaged her fellow students in Tbilisi’s first Bach in the Subways – an enormous success which earned strong support from the Tbilisi Central Music School community. In 2016 they did it again, and the Newton Free School joined in. Both years’ performances were covered enthusiastically by Georgian national TV.
Ana has been permanently selected by her musical school for annual public piano performance both as an unaccompanied soloist and with orchestra.
United Arab Emirates: Eljin Yoo
Eljin Yoo is concertmaster of Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra and a student ambassador of Stanford University Online High School class of 2020. He is also a founder of First Key Initiative and the Gulf Youth Chamber Music Society in United Arab Emirates. First Key Initiative provides music theory & violin education for under-privileged students and also organizes concerts for charitable organizations and local schools to promote classic music education. The Gulf Youth Chamber Music Society has members from all over the U.A.E. and overseas as well, creating a forum for student musicians to meet and form ensembles which was not previously available in the region.
As Bach is his favorite composer of all time, Eljin has been wanting to participate in Bach in the Subways for quite a long time. Finally, with the support of his fellow chamber music members, he is able to organize nation wide performances for the first time in the Middle East and hopes to continue every year!
Warsaw (Poland): Aleksandra Klimczak & Stanisław Łopuszyński
Flutist Antonina Styczeń first brought Bach in the Subways to Warsaw in 2016, generating enormous enthusiasm and positive responses from audiences and media. Now in 2019, Aleksandra & Stanisław bring bach the Bach!
Soprano, opera singer, and voice performer, Aleksandra Klimczak graduated with honors from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music’s Vocal And Acting Studies. She is constantly searching for innovation, breaking boundaries by collaborating across fields such as dramatic theatre, performance, sound-art, electronics, extended voice techniques, and free-improvisation. She also collaborates with traditional institutions like Warsaw Philharmonic and Polska Opera Królewska, performing baroque, classical and romantique repertoire. Aleksandra is Co-founder of „Foundation o.to.ja”, with the mission to promote and spread classical music amongst wider audiences.
Harpsichordist, pianist, and composer, Stanisław Łopuszyński is a student in the harpsichord class of professor Lilianna Stawarz at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He performs Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and jazz, as well as acting and composing film music. He co-creates with his sister Julia “Harp & Chords Duo”. Stanisław organizes many concerts in Poland and promotes harpsichord music.
Webmaster: Ben Upham
In our early years, when Bach in the Subways consisted only of founder Dale Henderson and then a handful of New York musicians for Bach’s birthday, Dale Henderson’s website doubled as the Bach in the Subways website. With a shock it became clear the movement had outgrown this arrangement when in early 2014 NPR Classical tweeted at Bach in the Subways asking where all the performances were. Enter volunteer webmaster Ben Upham, who in a week put together our very first dedicated Bach in the Subways website. As the burgeoning movement continuously grew, Ben created our beautiful present website complete with user friendly musician performance registration and google mapping systems – monumental web design achievements!
Ben lives in Eagle Rock, California, with his wife Jen and sons Otis and Frank. He works in software development.