WHAT IS BACH TO SCHOOL?

Bach to School is an innovative and imaginative educational outreach program that was launched in 1993 and has now been presented for more than 60,000 children.

Each year Bach to School presents eight assembly programs (each lasting approximately one hour) in school districts throughout the Lehigh Valley and in the surrounding region, reaching a total of more than 5000 students. The programs are presented in November, December and April by an ensemble of approximately 30 singers and 15 instrumentalists, conducted by Greg Funfgeld. Different versions of the program are targeted for elementary, middle and high schools. All Lehigh Valley school districts are invited to apply for participation in the program on a rotating basis except for Bethlehem Area School District, which has an ongoing commitment to participate every year.

The students are prepared for the assembly programs through classroom lessons. The lessons are taught with the enthusiastic involvement of school music teachers who have been given in-service training sessions and resource materials by members of The Choir. Resource materials include books, videos, CDs and sample lesson plans. Lesson plans on Bach are geared for three different levels - elementary, middle and high school. The resulting receptivity of the children is outstanding. They look forward to the program with eager anticipation, know what to expect, and know what is expected of them in order to be a truly engaged and listening audience.

The assembly programs involve lively interaction with Conductor Greg Funfgeld, who has a flair for communicating with young people. The program includes a repertoire of seven Bach pieces – orchestral and choral. The heart of the program is the section where The "Gloria" from the Mass in B Minor is taken apart voice by voice and instrument by instrument, then put back together again to demonstrate the genius of Bach’s fugal writing and orchestration. Mr. Funfgeld helps children to see the parallels between music, academics, sports and their own personal lives by talking about the emotions and creativity of the music, the fruits of practice, and the joy of working together on something that you love.

Bach To School has received wide acclaim from teachers and students. The program is

• integrated with the instructional program of public schools throughout the Lehigh Valley
• is not part of the regular academic program of the public schools but enhances the curriculum and academic program of the schools
• uses specialized instructional materials, instructors and instruction not provided by the public schools.

Why Bach To School?

• To bring the joy of Bach’s music to a diverse student population, including many students who have never been to a classical music concert before.
• To use the spark of a live encounter with professional and dedicated volunteer musicians to inspire children with the love of learning and the arts in general.
• To create an interest in Bach as a genius through an imaginative exploration of his life, times, personality and influence in musical history.
• To create awareness of the importance of classical music, especially Bach, in the heritage of Bethlehem.
• To foster an understanding of the Bach Choir’s existence and functioning, and appreciation for the concept of community service or involvement as exemplified by members of The Choir.
• To cultivate a new generation of classical music audiences and artists.

Enthusiasm is catching!
Read what some of the children who have attended Bach To School have to say.

Bethlehem: Farmersville Elementary Third Grade

"Dear Bach Choir, I LOVED your music. You guys and girls rock my world." —Your biggest fan, Samantha

"Thank you for entertaining me. It was very fun listening to your music. Your choir is very talented." --Danny

"I really liked when you sang in German because my Oma is German." —Kelsey

"Dear Bach Choir, Thank you for the wonderful performance. I Loved It. I can’t wait to hear you again in May! I just hope I can wait that long!" —Paige

Allentown: Muhlenberg Elementary School Fifth Grade

"Dear Mr. Funfgeld and the Bach Choir, Thank you for this wonderful, and extraordinary lifetime experience!" —Alex

"I like old musicians like Chopin, Mozart, Liszt and, of course, Bach. It was very well done. I liked learning about the piccolo trumpet. I never knew that piccolo meant small. Thank you again. I loved the concert!" —Greg

"Thank you for sharing Bach’s wonderful music with us. I hope that his music will keep passing on for generations and generations." —Laura

"I thought I would never hear music that good in my life. That music really touched me. I couldn’t believe I was so close. I like closing my eyes because the music is so soothing. I don’t think I could sing like that in a million years." —Emily

"I can tell that the songs came from the hearts of the singers. You must be proud to be role models for kids that saw this. You guys showed me I should never give up." —Chris
"I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to come watch you and the choir. I didn’t even know about the Bach Choir until Mrs. Fennell started teaching us about it in music class. I loved the music that the choir sang. They put a lot of effort into it and I am proud of them." —Ashley

East Stroudsburg School District: Seventh and Eighth Grades

"I will be forever thankful for that music because when I heard it, it was like all my problems came and drifted with the music away from me." —Jackley

"You are an extremely talented group. You all sang in such unison and it was very enjoyable. Everyone looked so professional and it made me want to join a choir like yours one day." —Lisa

"I feel your ‘Bach to School’ program is a great idea. Not many children are educated on great musicians like Bach so this was a nice opportunity for them as well as myself. It’s not everyday a world famous choir comes to your school. Thank you." —Jessica

"I liked that I could compare a professional chorus to our school’s 7th and 8th grade chorus. I learned more vowel shape and tone quality from the assembly. I found it amazing how high sopranos can go and how low an alto can go without disrupting the balance. Thanks again for allowing me and my peers to see how a professional chorus is organized." —Christina

"I thought that your choir and band was great. It really seemed like everyone had a wonderful time. The band’s music sounded complicated. The choir sounded in tune. I had fun." —Alex

Click here for lesson plans (elementary, middle and high school) and biographical information on Johann Sebastian Bach.