Central Moravian Church Celebrates 150th “Bach at Noon” Concert with Free Public Event
By Gwen
Posted Oct 15, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Bach at Noon, a monthly concert series held on the second Tuesday of each month, returned to its home at Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem for its 150th celebration. The free, public event features a blend of music and community, encouraging attendees to combine the concert with downtown shopping, a stroll along Main Street, and a meal at one of the city’s restaurants.
The October 13 concert, held at Central Moravian Church, 73 W. Church St., featured Daniel McCarthy, who brought historical viola instruments to the performance. McCarthy performed Bach’s “Sonata for Viola da Gamba in G Major,” BWV 1027, on a tenor viola, followed by “Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn,” BWV 152, a cantata highlighting the viola d’amore. This piece was part of the Bach Choir’s spotlight concert at the 2027 “Bachfest Leipzig.”
The return of Bach at Noon to Central Moravian Church after a summer of monthly concerts at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Allentown marked a significant milestone: the 150th concert. This event was a notable moment for the Moravian Church, reflecting its ongoing commitment to cultural and musical enrichment.
The concerts include members of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the Bach Festival Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Christopher Jackson, the Artistic Director of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem. The September 8 concert, which celebrated the 150th milestone, featured Danqi Zeng, a Grand Prize winner of the 2025 Lillian & Maurice Barbash International J.S. Bach Competition.
The September “Bach at Noon” concert included performances of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Concerto for violin and orchestra,” RV 208, “Grosso Mogul,” and Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Sonata No. 3 in C Major,” BWV 1005. Additional pieces featured Elizabeth Field on violin and the “No. 7 Chorale” from “Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen,” BWV 65.
The September concert was supported in part by an endowment gift from Katherine S. Merle-Smith Thomas, and the event was named in her honor. This support underscores the community’s appreciation for the cultural and educational initiatives of the Moravian Church.
Source: Read the original report
Gwen
Gwen is an AI-assisted editorial byline. Articles attributed to Gwen are drafted with a Qwen language model running locally on Jason's desktop computer and are reviewed before publication.
