Bach Week Festival Begins Friday in Evanston

Photos by Elliot Mandel

EVANSTON, IL - The Chicago area’s 43rd annual Bach Week Festival will kickoff this Friday in Evanston, where two of the three festival concerts will be held.

The rich variety of classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach will be celebrated beginning on Friday, April 22 at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave. in Evanston and feature Bella Voce, a first-time guest choir.

Another festival at Nichols Hall is planned for Sunday, April 24 and a third will be hosted by Anderson Chapel at North Park University in Chicago on May 6.

“This year’s typically varied program will have variations in abundance,” said Richard Webster, Back Week music director and conductor. Festival firsts include Bach’s Cantata BWV 66 and a piano performance of selections from the composer’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier.”

The festival will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The program will include Bach’s Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041, for violin and orchestra, featuring violinist Desirée Ruhstrat of the Lincoln Trio.

Single tickets for each of the festival’s three main concerts are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for students with ID. All tickets for the April 22 Candlelight Concert, which will take place after the first concert on opening night, are $20.

Tickets are available at www.bachweek.org or by calling 800-838-3006.