What is the Bach Project?
The Bach Project is a professional-level musical ministry based at Corpus Christi Parish, dedicated to presenting the sacred and choral works of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries in a faith-based community setting. Our performances and productions combine artistry, faith, and education to create experiences that uplift, educate, and inspire audiences throughout Northeast Ohio.
Educational / Civic Engagement
The Bach Project is about more than concerts and documentaries — it’s about community learning. We gather musicians, students, and audiences to experience the beauty and history of great music — music that has shaped our Western heritage. By performing timeless works by Bach and others right here in Conneaut, we’re building cultural pride and inspiring the next generation of artists and music lovers. To the best of our ability, we are dedicated to complementing music in our schools and our community’s musical ensembles.
Please visit our “Artists” page to see the world-class musicians who have participated in the Bach Project so far.
Historical and Faith Engagement
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was the pre-eminent composer of the Baroque period. With compositions written for virtually every liturgical event of the year, Bach’s sacred music holds deep meaning to all Christians. Bach, a Lutheran, set Masses that brilliantly illuminate the holy text of the Roman Catholic Latin Mass. This includes his greatest masterpiece, the Mass in b-Minor. The impact of Bach’s Masses, oratorios, and cantatas transcends denominational boundaries.
We offer people of faith a rare opportunity to experience Bach’s sacred music in a devotional setting. With statistics showing an unprecedented number of lapsed or nonpracticing Catholics, we intend to play a small part in stemming the trend within our community by offering them a unique, compelling, and thought-provoking opportunity to re-engage in their faith through concerts and documentaries featuring Bach’s musical insights into Christianity. Unfortunately, the same downward trend affects all Christian denominations. We hope our entire Christian community will join us in pursuing sacred music’s power to renew faith.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
Current Projects
The Mystery of the Mass: Heart of Catholic Worship, featuring Bach’s Mass in g-Minor, BWV 235, comes in three phases. The first phase involves presenting a professional Church performance of Bach's Mass. The performance will parallel the time-honored devotional tradition practiced in many European Churches through the experience of sacred music. Members of the National Opera of Colombia and the Blossom Festival Orchestra will perform. All who gather at the concerts will witness this breathtaking masterpiece while enhancing their faith experience, providing them with a window into the tremendous artistic and cultural phenomena that is Bach’s music.
The second phase is a masterclass led by our guest soloists for local schools and community ensembles. Our guests will concentrate on the fundamentals of vocal music. We will offer similar master classes in the future as a complement to each Bach Project production.
The Mystery of the Mass: Heart of Catholic Worship will also become the focus of a documentary to deepen the public understanding of the Mass. The documentary will clearly explain the historical development of the liturgy, the structure of the Mass, and the theological meaning behind its prayers, symbols, and gestures.
The documentary will feature Bach Project’s performance of the Mass in g-Minor to illustrate its compelling musical form and how the music illuminates the liturgical text, strengthening appreciation for sacred music and its spiritual power.
Future Plans
With the help of the Holy Spirit and your support, we plan to grow! Bach and other composers of sacred music have much to teach us about our faith. We seek partnerships with foundations, businesses, and individuals who share our interest in bringing these insights to a broadly inclusive Christian community. Producing meaningful content takes ample funding. That’s why we count on your donations, whether large or small. We are confident that artistic beauty and its importance to our world and faith will move the hearts of many. In pursuit of this goal, we look forward to ongoing relationships with those who subscribe to this mindset and are willing to assist in support of this evangelical effort. Thank you!