Skip to main content
Enter search terms below…

Member News

Berkshire Bach announces next PORTALS event with EUGENE DRUCKER and MICHAEL MARISSEN - January 24 and 25



Great Barrington, January 7, 2025:  The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) presents the third event in its quarterly BBS Portals series with Bach and God:  Troubling Voices and distinguished musicologist Michael Marissen at 7pm on Friday, January 24 at the Kellogg Music Center on the campus of Bard College at Simon’s Rock (84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, MA) and 4pm on Saturday, January 25 at The Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College (1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA). The program explores the foundation of Bach’s religious beliefs as well as the social norms of Lutheran Germany and includes readings from Dr. Marissen’s books Bach & God and Bach Against Modernity. In the session he identifies some of the revelations that helped shape his own understanding of Bach over the course of his scholarly career and uses musical examples to illustrate his findings.  Artistic Director Eugene Drucker hosts a discussion and audience Q&A with Dr. Marissen as part of the event. 

 

“In our BBS Portals series we look at Bach and his circle from many different perspectives,” said Terrill McDade, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bach Society.  “This time we consider an essential and intriguing aspect of Bach’s character—his spiritual life.  We know that he created some of the most profound devotional music of any religious canon and yet we don’t often have a chance to examine the environment that produced the man or explore the belief system behind his works.  This Portals session gives us the opportunity to do just that, and with a guide in Michael Marissen who is the leading thinker and writer on the subject.  We hope fans of Bach, members of the clergy, and others interested in the idea join us in this fascinating exploration and contribute to the discussion.”

 

Michael Marissen holds a B.A. from Calvin College and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University.  He taught music history at Swarthmore College for nearly 30 years and is now an independent scholar working on a variety of projects in the field.  Based in New York City, he is the author of 12 books on the music of Bach and other composers.

 

Join Berkshire Bach, Artistic Director Eugene Drucker, and musicologist Michael Marissen for Bach and God at 7pm on Friday, January 24, at the Kellogg Music Center and 4pm on Saturday, January 25, at The Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College.  Tickets:  $35 Nonmembers | $30 Berkshire Bach Members. Visit www.berkshirebach.org/events for more information, including tickets and specific venue information.  

The Berkshire Bach Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the U.S. tax code and the oldest, continuously operating, membership-based music organization in the Berkshires.  Donations to the Society are deductible to the full extent of the law. 

 

January 17, 2025 First of-its-kind center will offer advanced packaging and test capabilities in New York for U.S.-made essential chips used in AI, automotive, aerospace and defense, and other applications MALTA, NY, January 17, 2025 — GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) today announced plans to create a new center for advanced packaging and…
Great Barrington, January 16, 2025:  The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) announces two organ recitals on historic organs in Housatonic and Great Barrington as part of its Organ Masters series.  The recitals take place on February 8, 2pm, at the UU Meeting House in Housatonic and on April 5, 4pm, at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington…
Sandler in Albany, NY is delighted to be offering a 12-month sales training scholarship for women working in sales. This is a unique opportunity to participate in world class training with the leading sales and sales leadership training company.     The scholarship is specifically aimed at women located in the Capital Region who are either in a…
Jan
21
Creating Your Own Path Join Victoria Hostig, Owner and Innovator of Blueprint Strategies & Consulting at our Rising Professionals - Group Meeting as…
8:30am - 9:30am
Feb
08
Looking for a meaningful way to give back to your community? Join the Rising Professionals Group on Saturday, February 8th from 9 AM to 12 PM at the…
9:00am-12:00pm
Feb
18
Join us for the February Rising Professionals Group Meeting, featuring guest speaker Mike Hamel, owner of HMA Paving & Contracting. Mike, who served…
8:30am - 9:30am