2025/26 Season

“Second Looks”

Join us in our 55th season, “Second Looks,” for a continued focus on the music of J.S. Bach alongside works that reignite the spirit of timeless classics. Our weekly cantatas, Lindsey Chapel Series, and annual Bach Institute are presented together with the New England premiere of Errollyn Wallen's Dido's Ghost, Bach’s brilliant Christmas Oratorio, and a celebration of Schubert's Winterreise with Hans Zender’s “composed interpretation” for tenor and orchestra performed in conjunction with the original version for voice and piano.

Mainstage Concerts

A headshot of composer Errollyn Wallen

Errollyn Wallen: Dido’s Ghost

Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 7:00pm
Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 2:00pm
Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT

Errollyn Wallen's Dido's Ghost (2021) resurrects a timeless tale, casting a haunting shadow on Virgil's epic. This chamber opera delves into the spectral aftermath of Dido's despair, exploring the lingering echoes of love and betrayal by setting the entirety of Purcell’s original Dido and Aneas as a dream sequence. Wallen's evocative new score bookends the Purcell revealing a new dimension to a familiar tragedy. Witness a powerful, intimate performance where ancient myth meets modern musicality, and the past speaks with a chilling, unforgettable voice. Emmanuel Music is delighted to continue our collaboration with choreographer Shura Baryshnikov and to work with director Rebecca Miller Kratzer.

Carley DeFranco, Anna/Dido
David Thomas Mather, Aeneas
Jonathan Woody, Elymas/Sorceress
Katherine Maysek, Lavinia/Spirit
Morgan Mastrangelo, Ascanius/First Sailor
Corrine Byrne, Belinda

Rebecca Miller Kratzer, Director
Shura Baryshnikov, Choreographer

in collaboration with the MIT Chamber Chours
A trumpet player performs at a Christmas Oratorio

J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio

December 13, 2025 at 7:00pm
December 14, 2025 at 2:00pm
Emmanuel Church

The six cantatas of the radiant Christmas Oratorio ignite the holiday spirit with Bach’s unparalleled brilliance played out in exquisite pastoral scenes, profound vocal solos, and dazzling choruses. Join us as we continue our cherished tradition, crafting a holiday experience that resonates with timeless joy.
Charles Blandy, Evangelist
and soloists from the Orchestra and Chorus of Emmanuel Music
A headshot of composer Hans Zender

The Winterreise Experience

March 15-22, 2026
Goethe Institut-Boston
Distler Hall, Tufts University

Winter's chill is reimagined through Schubert's timeless Winterreise. The stark beauty of the original song cycle, performed by Emmanuel Music tenor Willliam Hite and pianist Jiayan Sun is paired with its modern echo: Hans Zender's haunting, fragmented reinterpretation for solo voice and orchestra featuring tenor Nicholas Phan. Zender strips away romantic veneer, revealing a raw, visceral landscape of isolation. Explore the enduring power of Schubert's masterpiece through two distinct yet intertwined performances, and hear about them in conversation with Willliam Hite, Nicholas Phan, and artistic director Ryan Turner.

Schubert: Winterreise
William Hite, tenor & Jiayan Sun, piano
Sunday, March 15 at 4:00pm
Goethe Institut-Boston


Schubert/Zender: Winterreise “A Composed Interpretation”
Nicholas Phan, tenor
The Orchestra of Emmanuel Music
Sunday, March 22 at 4:00pm
Distler Hall, Tufts University

More information and tickets available soon

Series

Ryan Turner conducts the Emmanuel Orchestra and Chorus in a Bach cantata

Weekly Cantata Series

Sunday, September 21, 2025-Sunday, May 10, 2026

Called “An essential spiritual center of musical life in Boston” (WBUR), Emmanuel Music continues its core mission with the weekly cantata series every Sunday, September through May, as part of the Emmanuel Church service.

Emmanuel Music continues our motet commissioning series with several new works planned for the 55th season. Since 2020, the Inaugural season of the project, we have premiered more that 25 works as part of the service.
Ryan Turner conducts fellows of the 2025 Bach Institute

Bach Institute

Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose - Bach's Parody Works

January 7-18, 2026

For the 2026 Bach Institute January Intensive, we will explore Bach's creative approach to his own compositions, specifically how he reworks material created in one context for new and sometimes startlingly different results. Our living laboratory for Bach will be inspired by the master's own experiments; come hear the Bach remix!
Cellist Alex Fowler performs

Lindsey Chapel Series

February 19-March 26, 2026

J.S Bach's Cello Suites paired with music of the 20th and 21st century.

Engagement and Outreach

Breathe with Bach

A photo from the Breathe With Bach event
Breathe with Bach takes our musicians out into the community, partnering with neighborhood branches of the Boston Public Library to present an hour of music, Bach and Bach adjacent, at BPL locations across the city. Listeners can experience Breathe with Bach as they choose, whether that’s pulling up a chair as you would at a concert, passing by for a few minutes to enjoy the sounds, or using the music as a soundtrack to do work, read, or contemplate. We encourage you to chat with the musicians if you feel inclined - it's a great way to get to know Emmanuel Music and to learn about our work in the community!

Cantata Conversations

A candid photo of musicians talking
Cantata Conversations are led by Pamela Dellal, Director of the Bach Institute, and other members of our community and are a chance for interested listeners to take a deep dive into the music. Participants will listen to a provided recording on their own time before the discussion, and in addition to Saturday’s rehearsal, will have the opportunity to attend the Sunday cantata presentation either in person or via our livestream. We will be hosting this event both online and in person, at Emmanuel Church. Dates to be announced.