WKCR announces our annual Bach Festival. For the ten-day period from December 22 through New Year's Eve at midnight, WKCR (89.9 FM, 89.9 HD1, and wkcr.org) will dedicate all broadcasting to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach.

J.S. Bach has had an unparalleled influence on the Western classical tradition. He has inspired a worldwide following dedicated to performing and celebrating his work, as well as a devoted and rigorous academic tradition. Bach Festival 2014 will commence with The St. Matthew Passion, and each day will feature one or more of Bach's masterpieces.

Bach Festival 2014 will include the familiar voices of WKCR programmers, as well as guest scholars and performers providing unique perspectives on different facets of Bach's legacy. New programs coming to Bach Festival 2014 include an interview with acclaimed organist, Paul Jacobs. Also new this year will be interviews with Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, with tenor Mark Padmore, renowned for his many performances as the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions, and an interview with radically influential American countertenor, Russell Oberlin (air dates to be announced). Frequent guest and veteran Bach scholar, Teri Towe, will explore the recordings of Bach performers born in the month of December. He will also conduct a memorial broadcast in honor of William H. Scheide, founder and director of the Bach Aria Group. Microtonal specialist Johnny Reinhard returns to Bach Festival 2014 with a segment Christmas Day on Microtonal Bach, and pianist Simone Dinnerstein will share her upcoming release: Philip Lasser’s 12 Variations on a Bach Chorale and his new piano concerto based on a Bach chorale, written for Dinnerstein.

A schedule of major works is as follows:

Monday, December 22

10:00pm: St. Matthew Passion

Tuesday, December 23

10:00am-1:00pm: Simone Dinnerstein

1:00pm: Well-Tempered Clavier

Wednesday, December 24

6:00pm: Cello Suites

Thursday, December 25

10:00am-1:00pm: Johnny Reinhard

6:00pm: Christmas Oratorio

1:00pm: Interview- Russell Oberlin (Magnificat)

Friday, December 26

12:00pm: Easter Oratorio

6:00pm: Goldberg Variations

Saturday, December 27

9:00am: Brandenburg Concertos

12:00pm: Anna Magdalena

9:30pm: Interview- Mark Padmore

Sunday, December 28

12:00pm: St. Mark’s Passion

3:00pm: Interview- Paul Jacobs

9:00pm: Mass in B minor

Monday, December 29

12:00pm - 6:00pm: Teri Towe

6:00pm: St. Matthew’s Passion

Tuesday, December 30

12:00pm - 6:00pm: Teri Towe

9:00pm: Ascension Oratorio

Wednesday, December 31

12:00pm: The Art of the Fugue

4:00pm: Interview- Luca Pisaroni

6:00pm: Musical Offering

9:00pm: St. John’s Passion

Schedule subject to change.