Composition commission issued to Chaya Czernowin

Bach-Archiv Leipzig, Germany

Premieres were part of JS Bach’s everyday professional routine. Which is why the festival Bachfest Leipzig even today commemorates the weekly challenge facing Bach with composition commissions. The motto for Bachfest Leipzig 2013 is "Vita Christi" (The Life of Christ) and puts into the limelight stages in Christ’s life set to the music of Bach’s Oratories. In this context the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation-supported composition commission to the Jewish American Chaya Czernowin aims to illustrate the geographic and theological aspects of the authentic sites in the life of Christ. The work to be written is to reflect the region and the religion that impacted the life of Christ. Here the idea is not to make reference to or imitate folklore or typical regional musical color. Instead, Chaya Czernowin is to freely input into the forthcoming composition her musical experiences and convictions and her compositional skills, all against the backdrop of the Life of Christ theme of the Bach festival.
The debut performance of Chaya Czernowin’s piece is related to the work Lieder vom Menschen by Leipzig composer Hans Christian Bartel. The work will be premiered in January 2013 and then re-recorded as part of the concert at Bachfest Leipzig.

Premiere: June 20, 2013
Mendelssohn-Saal at Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, Germany

Further Information:
www.bach-leipzig.de