Wednesday, December 24, 2025 - 12:00am to Wednesday, December 31, 2025 - 11:59pm
WKCR is pleased to announce our 48th annual BachFest, celebrating the music and legacy of composer Johann Sebastian Bach, which will take place over eight days this month. Beginning on December 24 at 12am with his Magnificat in D, BachFest will feature traditional and contemporary interpretations of the composer’s work, as well as exciting interviews, guest programming, and archival shows. BachFest will preempt all regular programming on WKCR through 12am on January 1, 2026, when the festival will conclude with Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.
2025 sees the 275th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach, who was born on March 31, 1685, in Eisenach, Germany, and passed away on July 28, 1750, in Leipzig. He is widely regarded as being among the most influential figures in western classical music history, with his catalog of works (the Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis) totaling over 1,100 compositions. Bach spent his career as a church composer and was a devout Lutheran, and his music is considered transcendental and divine by many, regardless of faith or denomination. His best known works include the six Cello Suites, Goldberg Variations, Well-Tempered Clavier, Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, Mass in B Minor, passions, and cantatas. Look forward to hearing these works, and many more, exclusively on WKCR 89.9 FM NY and wkcr.org online.
