Bach in the Subways L.A.

Bach in the Subways L.A. will celebrate the 330th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach this Saturday, March 21, 2015 with pop-up performances of the German composer's repertoire throughout Los Angeles. Part of the global Bach in the Subways Day 2015, this special day of music is a unique opportunity for classical musicians to bring their instruments to the streets and public spaces of L.A. and play for the community.
 
A few standouts among the day's events will be an unprecedented 10-hour Bach Marathon in downtown L.A.'s Union Station. The 1930s rail terminal will be the site for chamber music performances by ENLIGHTENMENT MUSIC SERIES of the Orchestral Suite No. 2, the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 and the Bach Double Violin Concerto; an organ recital played on an Allen Organ donated by the Los Angeles Organ Company; and a solo viola performance by the genre-fusing musician and composer MIGUEL ATWOOD-FERGUSON.

Performances are scheduled at other noteworthy public spaces and neighborhoods as well... 


The Los Angeles Zoo will welcome the STERLING FLUTE CHOIR at the entrance gates while the Central Library rotunda will be the spot to hear double bassist FREDERICK CHARLTON, a transcriber of Bach Partitas for the unaccompanied violin to the double bass for 30 years. The Glendale Metrolink platform will be the stage for 30 cello students from the Suzuki Program of the PASADENA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC and Santa Monica Place will be the site of choice for over 100 members, alumni and staff of the ELEMENTAL STRINGS orchestras and Prelude Program. The Beverly Hills Steinway Piano Gallery will have the RIKO METHOD SCHOOL OF PIANO take a turn, while the LAMP Arts Program will bring a beautiful selection of solo strings and voice performances to the SKID ROW COMMUNITY.
 
Several professional musicians have signed up to take their talents out of the concert hall and into the streets on Saturday, most notably JAMES STARK of the LA OPERA and university faculty ROGER LEBOW (Pomona College) and MAGGIE PARKINS (UC Irvine).
 
Bach in the Subways was founded by cellist Dale Henderson in the subways of New York in 2010 and has grown to 129 cities in 39 countries. It is an all-volunteer effort put on by its participants for the love of music.
 
"My long-term vision for Bach in the Subways," Henderson says, "is to bring a renaissance of interest and inspiration and excitement about classical music to, ideally, the globe."
A map of locations and full descriptions of the performances scheduled worldwide on March 21 for the Bach in the Subways Day 2015 can be found at the Bach in the Subways website Full Schedule.