Media Release 10 February 2016

‘The Kings from the East’ Bach Collegium Japan perform Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the National Concert Hall as part of its European Tour

Bach Collegium Japan
Masaaki Suzuki, conductor
International Choral Series 2015/2016
The National Concert Hall
Tuesday 12th April, 8pm

On Tuesday 12th April, 8pm Bach Collegium Japan, hailed by BBC Music Magazine as “The Kings from the East”, will perform Bach’s sublime Mass in B minor BWV 232 at the National Concert Hall in a unique concert as part of its European Tour 2016.

Under its celebrated director and founder Masaaki Suzuki, the renowned period instrument ensemble will be joined by a cast of soloists including Hana Blažíková, soprano; Joanne Lunn, soprano; Robin Blaze, alto; Colin Balzer, tenor and Dominik Wörner, bass to perform the famed B minor Mass by Bach, otherwise known as “the greatest musical work of art of all times and nations”.

The European tour sees them perform in London’s Barbican and Lyon before coming to Dublin to perform for Irish audiences. The tour continues with concerts in Paris, Vienna, Eindhoven and Amsterdam before returning to Japan in May.

Bach Collegium Japan is building up a worldwide reputation in Baroque sacred music, touring Europe and further afield. In 2014 they performed for the first time in New Zealand and Mexico. That year they were also awarded the 45th Suntory Music Prize as well as an ECHO Klassik award.

In 2013 they completed an epic eighteen year project, having recorded Bach’s complete church cantatas in chronological order. Comprising 55 volumes, this project received widespread international acclaim and was recognised as an exceptional achievement.

Bach Collegium Japan was founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki who is himself a highly regarded organist, harpsichordist, conductor and musicologist as well as a leading authority on the works of Bach. It was established with the main purpose of introducing Japanese audiences to European Baroque music.

The National Concert Hall’s International Concert Series 2015/2016 continues on Thursday 21st April with superstar Chinese pianist Yundi performing an all-Chopin programme. He will be followed, on Wednesday 4th May, by the outstanding violinist Maxim Vengerov with Roustem Saïtkoulov on piano. The Series will conclude with the inaugural Irish performance of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra under French conductor Hervé Niquet and pianist Barry Douglas on Tuesday 31st May at 8pm.

The International Concert Series ‘15/16 is sponsored by Dublin Port and supported by The Irish Times as print media partner.

Tickets: €55, €47.50, €37.50 (€22.50 choir balcony). Tel: 01 417 0000 or www.nch.ie

Watch Bach Collegium Japan perform Bach's B minor Mass

Media Enquiries:
Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-417 0057/ 087 1775334