RUSH For $15 Tickets For Bach Choir Christmas Concert!

RUSH TICKETS AVAILABLE

Last-Minute Discount! $15 Adult / $4 Student

Christmas Concert Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Parts 4, 5 and 6 presented by The Bach Choir of Bethlehem

Saturday, December 10, 2016 8:00 p.m. West End of Allentown First Presbyterian Church of Allentown 3231 Tilghman Street, Allentown PA 18104 (Sunday’s performance is SOLD OUT!)

Soloists: Ellen McAteer, soprano Laura Atkinson, mezzo-soprano Benjamin Butterfield, tenor David Newman, bass-baritone

Sing ye heavens, tell the story -traditional Following up last year’s concert of Parts 1, 2 and 3, this year’s performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio offers the final three cantatas. Choir member and writer David Ruhf characterized the work in this way: “The Christmas Oratorio includes many kinds of joy and devotion, from ecstatic rhapsody to hushed bliss. … no better way to begin December’s festivities than to encounter this radiant music, offered with love and passion in an atmosphere of celebratory and appreciative engagement.” More info on 2016 Christmas Concerts The Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s Facebook

RUSH PRICES: $15 Adult / $4 Student price of regular General Admission ticket: $37 Adult / $9 Student Rush Tickets available online only through Lehigh Valley Arts Council Box Office

CLICK TO PURCHASE RUSH TICKETS

PLEASE NOTE: ▪ Rush Tickets are available for General Admission seating. ▪ Convenience fee ($3 or $2.50, depending on price level) is charged at checkout in addition to the price of a standard Rush Ticket (total ticket price + convenience fee = $18 Adults; $6.50 Students) ▪ For additional information, please visit The Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s Website or call: 610-866-4382.

Rush Ticketing is a service of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council

$15 RUSH: The Bach Choir Presents “The Passion According To St. John”‏

LOVE BEYOND ALL MEASURE The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents THE PASSION ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 4pm First Presbyterian Church Bethlehem Pre-concert lecture by Greg Funfgeld at 3pm

_ This stirring musical expression of Christ’s anguish, suffering and sacrifice had its first performance in America in Bethlehem in 1888. Bach’s musical genius takes us to the poetic heart of the Gospel narrative as told by Saint John. Learn more about this masterpiece at the 3pm pre-concert lecture by Greg Funfgeld.

— CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE LIMITED RUSH TICKETS for only $15! (regular General Admission price $37) Rush Tickets available online only through Lehigh Valley Arts Council

Please Note: ** Seating is General Admission. Please show your printed Rush Ticket to ushers to check in. ** Convenience fee of $2.50 is charged at checkout in addition to the price of a standard ticket (Total ticket price + convenience fee = $17.50) For additional information, please visit The Bach Choir of Bethlehem Website or call 610-866-4382.

Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 610-437-5915 www.lvartscouncil.org

Inclusive Arts – Accessible Events For January & February 2016‏

Join us for EXPERIENCE ARTS & ACCESS Tuesday, January 26, 2016 2:45 to 5:30pm Banana Factory 25 West Third Street Bethlehem, PA 18015 This mid-winter festive gathering celebrates the achievements of Arts & Access midway through a year of offering greater accessibility. Arts & Access launched last July to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act through the lens of the arts. Currently, thirty arts organizations have teamed up with social service agencies to offer more than fifty events through June 2016, that intentionally reach people with disabilities and their family and friends. The diversity of programming include live theatre performances that are audio described and open captioned for people with visual and hearing loss; sensory friendly performances for children with autism, and a dance workshop for Parkinson patients and their caregivers. “Cultural access is really about customer service,” says Randall Forte, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council. “It’s about making your customers feel welcome and comfortable. Experience Arts & Access seeks to raise awareness of the needs as well as the abilities of persons with disabilities. Featured artist and National Storytelling Champion Anne Thomas will perform autobiographical stories crafted with a mix of dark humor, high energy and rare common sense. She speaks not only to survivors of disability, illness and tragedy, but to everyone who has a body, a dream, obstacles, hope and determination. Experience will also allow visitors to explore an arts experience through the simulated reality of a person with a physical, sensory, or cognitive limitation. Guests will be encouraged to test the different technologies that are available, such as audio description and open captioning, voice activated wheel chairs, plus a tactile exploration of a 3-D image of a painting. The event is FREE and open to the everyone, particularly someone with a disability. Please RSVP to attend at info@lvartscouncil.org or 610-437-5915. Light refreshments will be provided.

Our newest PROMOTIONAL VIDEO for Arts & Access We’ve just released the second in our ongoing collection of Arts & Access promotional videos! This edition gives a more intimate look at the Summer and Fall 2015 programming that supports our mission for inclusive arts in our region. The organizations involved have produced quite a variety of accessible arts experiences – theatre performances, visual arts classes and exhibitions, and dance workshops – all celebrating and representing a wide variety of disabilities. Beautifully produced by Marco Calderon, our hearts are touched each time we see the laughing faces of the participants and encouraging words of those involved. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the celebration thus far! We are looking forward to the events planned for this year – we are only halfway through and we have already made such an impact. View our newest video on YouTube If you didn’t catch our last edition featuring the Launch Party in July 2015, here it is!

ARTICLE: See the Music, Hear the Art! In October, SATORI played a classical music concert for an audience who couldn’t hear it – and it was wonderful. SATORI is participating in the Arts & Access initiative of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, a yearlong celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, seen through the lens of the arts. As a performing arts organization with deep roots locally, we wanted to be a part of this special series of events – and thought we already had an ace in the hole. For almost two decades, SATORI has been presenting in-school music education programs that combine classical music with an array of vibrant images and drawings, projected overhead as the musicians play. Surely the addition of a visual component to a music performance might make it more appropriate for a deaf or hard-of-hearing audience? READ MORE on our blog Come see SATORI Chamber Music Ensemble perform at our Experience Arts & Access Event on January 26th!

JANUARY 2016 ACCESSIBLE ART – PHASE II TACTILE DESCRIPTION Now through June 1, 2017 Lehigh Main Gallery Open during gallery hours Presented by Lehigh University Art Galleries & Museum Teaching Collection of multiple artists’ work in Audio Description and Tactile Description (3-D image to touch) for the visually impaired. Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat, 11am – 5pm; Sun, 1-5pm; Closed Mon-Tues. Handicap Access • Blind & Low-Vision • Audio Description ARTIST IN RECOVERY – MONTHLY ART EXHIBITIONS January 8, 2016 & February 5, 2016 Recovery Partnership 1:00pm – 3:00pm Featuring artists who express their journey with mental health. Held every first Friday. Free. Handicap Access • Mental Health “LIFE ACCESSIBLE” – PHOTOGRAPHY BEYOND THE LIMITS OF SIGHT January 8, 2016 through February 22, 2016 Banana Factory Open during gallery hours Presented by ArtsQuest Photographer Stephen Cunic’s 3-D images, created using various layers and texture, allow visually impaired patrons to experience his scenes using their sense of touch. Free and open to all. Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-9:30pm, Sat & Sun, 8:30am-5pm. Handicap Access • Blind & Low-Vision ICE CREAM WARS 8.0 January 9, 2016 Da Vinci Science Center 10:30am – 2:00pm Presented by Da Vinci Science Center Presenting teams from regional and global companies in a playful competition to create fresh batches of creative ice cream flavors. Sign Language interpreter for each presentation. Handicap Access • American Sign Language FREE PARKINSON’S DISEASE WELLNESS FAIR January 11, 2016 Good Shepherd Health & Technology Center 10:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Good Shepherd Rehabilitation For those with Parkinson’s and their families / caregivers. Demonstrations, education, health screenings. Registration recommended: 610-776-3393. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health DANCE FOR PD – TWO-DAY PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP January 23 & 24, 2016 Zoellner Arts Center 10:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange / Mark Morris Dance Group Intro to the internationally-acclaimed Dance for PD (Parkinson’s Disease) program. $100 tuition for two-day workshop, reservations required: pittsburghdancepress@gmail.com. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health *FREE MOVEMENT CLASS ON JANUARY 23 FROM 2:00-3:30 PM – Appropriate for anyone with PD. PUPPET-MAKING CLASS January 23, 2016 IceHouse Center 11:00am – 1:00pm Presented by Mock Turtle Marionette / Easter Seals This hands-on session will consist of puppet-making, learning a set of jokes and songs, and a twenty-minute performance. Free and open to public. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health

FEBRUARY 2016 PUCCINI ARIAS February 13, 2016 – 7:30pm / February 14, 2016 – 3:00pm Miller Symphony Hall Presented by Allentown Symphony Orchestra Puccini’s Greatest Hits performed by Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Projected subtitles. Handicap Access • Deaf & Hard of Hearing • Open Captioning FAMILY CONCERT – HEART AND SOUL: VOICES OF THE FUTURE February 28, 2016 Zoellner Arts Center 3:00pm Presented by The Bach Choir of Bethlehem / Mercy Learning Center Four fabulous youth choirs join The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra in a program of favorite choruses by Bach, Handel, and Randall Thompson. General Admission: $18, Students $7. Handicap Access • Cognitive Health

108th Bethlehem Bach Festival Bach Cantatas And Concerto

with

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem,
Bach Festival Orchestra
& Caroline Goulding
in her Bethlehem debut

---

Friday, May 1, 2015

8:00 p.m.

Packer Memorial Church

Lehigh University

The Festival Friday evening concert promises to rouse your spirit in a program consisting solely of Bach, featuring the full Choir, Bach Festival Orchestra, renowned vocal soloists, and the Bethlehem debut of violinist Caroline Goulding. Cantatas 69 and 172 with full choir and orchestra are stirring and powerful. You’ll also be taken with the intimate Dialogue Cantata BWV 152 Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn which “symbolizes the cornerstone of faith set by God in Jesus’ incarnation” (John Eliot Gardiner). The cantata features Agnes Zsigovics, soprano and William Sharp, bass accompanied by a chamber group which includes viola d’amore and viola da gamba. Rising star and Young Festival-Artist-in-Residence, Caroline Goulding is featured in the Concerto in E Major for Solo Violin. Ms. Goulding has appeared as a soloist with many of the world’s premier orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony, and Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. She has appeared in recital at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall, and the Louvre Museum. “… fantastic style and flair, with an extraordinary virtuosity that always serves the character of the music. A violinist you must hear!” -Peter Oundjian, Music Director of Toronto Symphony Orchestra Watch and listen to a sampling of Caroline Goulding’s amazing talent!

— Click here to purchase limited RUSH TICKETS for only $9.99! (regular General Admission price $30) Rush Tickets available online only through Lehigh Valley Arts Council

_ Please Note: ** Seating is reserved. Please stop in the Will Call tent in front of Packer Church to check in with your Rush Ticket print out. ** Convenience fee of $2.50 is charged at checkout in addition to the price of a standard ticket (Total ticket price + convenience fee = $12.49) For additional information, please visit The Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s Website or call 610-866-4382.

Lehigh Valley Arts Council www.LVArtsCouncil.org ◊ www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org Rush Ticketing is a service of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council. For more information, visit: www.lvartscouncil.org/RushTicketing.html

Lehigh Valley Arts Council Announces Arts Alive 2015 Series

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is pleased to announce the new line-up for the Arts Alive 2015 Series. These three events for members and their friends allow participants to rub shoulders with the creative process and engage their minds and spirits.

On Saturday, February 7, 2015, “Curator’s Choice” introduces Elaine Mehalakes, the new vice president of community engagement at the Allentown Art Museum. Ms. Mehalakes will guide an informal discussion from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on works of art she has selected for their relevance to the collection and to the community. Ms. Mehalakes has extensive experience in curating and cataloguing; she previously worked at the Davis Museum and Cultural Center in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

“A Joyous Rehearsal” arrives with spring as guests are invited to attend a rehearsal of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem on Monday evening, April 20, 2015, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem. Visitors will preview the power and joy of the 108th Bethlehem Bach Festival as Artistic Director Greg Funfgeld welcomes the group prior to rehearsal and speaks about how this century-old community chorus continues to remain relevant.

“Wood & Steel” is a tour of furniture designer and craftsman Bill Kreider’s studio on Saturday, June 20, 2015, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Inspired by unconventional and discarded items, often with historical context, Bill’s designs use contemporary lines to offset traditional materials. He has transformed garage door springs into a dining room table, a ship’s drive wheel into a coffee table, and perhaps most famously, Bethlehem Steel “I” beams into bookcases.

Come join Bill for a personal tour of his studio workspace, which is located in the old Pennsylvania Stage Company scene shop on 127 North Lumber Street in Allentown, and discover the artistry of turning industrial debris into true masterpieces.

Attendance is limited for these behind-the-scenes cultural tours to only twenty-five visitors at each event, so reserve your tickets soon at LVArtsBoxOffice.org. Light refreshments will be served at each event. Fees for each event are $15 for Arts Council members, $20 for nonmembers. Enjoy a special 33% discount if you buy tickets to all three events in the series (three tickets for the price of two).

Randall Forte, Executive Director
Lehigh Valley Arts Council
Phone: 610-437-5915.
Email: info@LVArtsCouncil.org
Web: www.lvartscouncil.org

The Bach Choir Of Bethlehem Presents: Young Meister Bach

Young Meister Bach, the delightful one-act comic opera by Chuck Holdeman and Bill Bly, which premiered at our Family Concert, is perfectly paired with J.S. Bach’s popular Coffee Cantata. Young Meister Bach is a lively, imaginative look at the misadventures of a young J S Bach as he embarks on his career at age 18. The Coffee Cantata, although classified as a cantata, it is essentially a miniature comic opera. In a satirical commentary, the cantata amusingly tells of an addiction to coffee, a pressing social problem in eighteenth century Leipzig, where this work was premiered. Both pieces are sung in English.

The Concert begins at 10:30 am in Baker Hall at the Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem. Take your Ticket Confirmation to the Zoellner Arts Center Box Office, purchase your RUSH TICKET Today for Young Meister Bach with Coffee Cantata on May 10th for ONLY $9.99 (Normally $28)!!!

An Introduction to Young Meister Bach (YouTube Video):www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQAW4xoPQuI

For more information on the Bach Choir of Bethlehem:
www.bach.org – 610-866-4382 – office@bach.org 

Click Here to Buy
Last Minute Discount
RUSH Tickets
for Young Meister Bach with Coffee Cantata
on May 10th –
ONLY $9.99!
(NORMALLY $28!)

Put Yourself On The Map! Lehigh Valley Arts Council Spring Membership Reception

Join the Lehigh Valley Arts Council for a celebration of the future and twenty-five years of service at the sleek, sophisticated headquarters of Lehigh Gas Partners LP in the soaring, new 11-story tower, Two City Center, which is transforming downtown Allentown.

Joseph V. Topper, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Lehigh Gas Partners LP and partner in City Center Investment Corp, is hosting the event. This annual get-together is a popular occasion for members to renew their connection to the arts and to each other. They will enjoy a tour of the fifth floor offices and expansive views of the Lehigh Valley.

Four prominent cultural leaders will be celebrated for their vision and for taking their organizations in new directions:

• Greg Funfgeld, Artistic Director & Conductor, and Bridget George, Executive Director of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem
• Ellis Finger, Director of Williams Center of the Arts, Lafayette College
• David Mickenberg, President and CEO of the Allentown Art Museum

“We chose to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary with a nod to the arts community and to the future,” says Randall Forte, executive director. “And of course there will be cake and merriment!”

Festivities will include “mapping the cultural community,” as arts professionals and patrons will be encouraged to mark their location on a large-scale regional map. Guests will be greeted by a visual panoply of images from more than 100 cultural organizations, highlighting their vision statements.

Light food will be provided.  Wine will be available on a cash basis.  

Premiere Sponsors: PP&L, EBC Printing, and Lehigh Gas Partners LP;

Supporting Sponsor: Scoblionko, Scoblionko, Muir & Melman Attorneys at Law.

Please RSVP by May 23rd! Reservations are encouraged to expedite check-in at the security desk at Two City Center.

Members attend for FREE and can RSVP http://www.lvartscouncil.org/RSVP.html
Nonmembers can purchase tickets for $10 http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1812994&cobrand=lvartsboxoffice

For more information
610.437.5915 ◊ operations@LVArtsCouncil.org 

Lehigh Valley Arts Council Presents Spring Membership Reception: Put Yourself On The Map

Allentown, PA – The 2014 spring membership reception, Put Yourself on the Map, embraces the excitement and promise of a new cultural horizon in the Lehigh Valley. On Wednesday, May 28, 2014, from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, the Lehigh Valley Arts Council commemorates twenty-five years of service to the region with a look at what the future holds. Join members and their guests for a celebration at the sleek, sophisticated headquarters of Lehigh Gas Partners LP in the soaring, new 11-story tower, Two City Center, which is transforming downtown Allentown.

Joseph V. Topper, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Lehigh Gas Partners LP and partner in City Center Investment Corp, is hosting the event. This annual get-together is a popular occasion for members to renew their connection to the arts and to each other. They will enjoy a tour of the fifth floor offices and expansive views of the Lehigh Valley.

Four prominent cultural leaders will be celebrated for their vision and for taking their organizations in new directions:

Greg Funfgeld, Artistic Director & Conductor, and Bridget George, Executive Director of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem
Ellis Finger, Director of Williams Center of the Arts, Lafayette College
David Mickenberg, President and CEO of the Allentown Art Museum

“We chose to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary with a nod to the arts community and to the future,” says Randall Forte, executive director. “And of course there will be cake and merriment!”

Festivities will include “mapping the cultural community,” as arts professionals and patrons will be encouraged to mark their location on a large-scale regional map. Guests will be greeted by a visual panoply of images from more than 100 cultural organizations, highlighting their vision statements.

Generously underwritten by PP&L, EBC Printing, and Lehigh Gas Partners LP, light foodwill be provided. Wine will be available on a cash basis. Parking is available in the lot on the southwest corner of 7th & Hamilton Streets.

Members attend for FREE; nonmembers pay $10. RSVP by May 23rd. Reservations are encouraged to expedite check-in at the security desk at Two City Center; please call the Arts Council at 610-437-5915 or register online at http://www.LVArtsCouncil.org.

Members RSVP for free here:  http://www.lvartscouncil.org/rsvp.html 
Nonmembers can purchase tickets ($10.00) here: http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1812994&cobrand=lvartsboxoffice

For more information:
Call: 610-437-5915
Email: operations@LVArtsCouncil.org 
Web: http://www.lvartscouncil.org/RSVP.html

Location: Two City Center, Lehigh Gas Corp., Fifth Floor
645 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pa. 18101
Date / Time: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Fee: Free for Members; $10 for nonmembers.
Attendance: Reservations are required. Tickets can be purchased online.

***
About the Lehigh Valley Arts Council
The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is a nonprofit 501(c)3, membership-supported organization that serves as a regional advocate and ambassador for the Lehigh Valley arts community. Its mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts organizations and the community. Through collaborative partnerships, it continues to provide access to the local arts community through education, research, professional development seminars and cooperative marketing initiatives.

***

Lehigh Valley Arts Council
840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201
Allentown, PA 18101
610-437-5915 / operations@LVArtsCouncil.org
http://www.LVArtsCouncil.org  / http://www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

The 107th Bethlehem Bach Festival

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents the 107th Bethlehem Bach Festival May 2 at Lehigh University, Bethlehem. This concert will feature a majestic range of J.S. Bach Cantatas – from some of Bach’s most intimate and contemplative cantatas to his most epic.

On Friday evening at 8 pm, the entire choir will assemble with the full Bach Festival Orchestra and renowned soloists to present works of incredible power and majesty including the immortal Cantata 34, Cantata 19, which is one of Bach’s great cantatas for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, and Cantata 78 which includes the famous duet (We race with weak but eager strides) sung by soprano Agnes Zsigovics and counter tenor Daniel Taylor; the immortal Cantata 34 (O light everlasting) ends with the great chorus proclaiming “Peace be to Israel.”

A not-to-be-missed concert filled with especially vivid music!

Buy Rush Tickets for the May 2nd performance today for
ONLY $9.99!!

For more information on the 107th Bethlehem Bach Festival, visit: www.bach.org/festival.php or contact: 610-866-4382 / office@bach.org

Festival Soloists

Agnes Zsigovics, soprano
Rosa Lamoreaux, soprano
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
Benjamin Butterfield, tenor
William Sharp, baritone
Daniel Lichti, bass 

“…an American musical treasure… they sing with a fervor and a level of musicianship that carries one away—from bass to soprano, the supple strength “…an American musical treasure… they sing with a fervor and a level of musicianship that carries one away—from bass to soprano, the supple strength and solidly integrated tone of this amateur choir reflects the most admirable qualities of the European-American tradition of choral song.”

– Wall Street Journal May, 2007