Peoria Concerts – The Peoria Bach Festival 2026

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June

Peoria Bach Festival 2026wed03jun12:00 pm

Event Details

The 2026 Peoria Bach Festival will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church (located at 1420 W. Moss Ave. in Peoria) running from Sunday, May 31 through Friday, June 5. The Festival kicks off with the Bach Iben Organ Marathon on Sunday at 4 pm. Daily concerts will begin at Noon running Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. On Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm "Friends and Rivals: A Baroque Chamber Concert on Period Instruments" will be presented. Then, the final Festival Concert will be held on Friday at 7:30 pm with pre-concert lecture beginning at 6:45 pm with the concert featuring the Peoria Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra. Andrew Bruhn of Illinois State University is this year's guest conductor. Tickets for the Tuesday and Friday evening concerts are $20 for adults and $10 for students. All the other events of the Peoria Bach Festival 2026 are free. For information on all the events, visit www.peoriabachfestival.org

The Friday evening program will begin with the Orchestral Suite in G minor, BWV 1070, long attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach but now widely credited to his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann. Scored for strings and harpsichord, the suite blends youthful energy with expressive refinement, highlighted by graceful Minuet solos played by the string principals. The Sinfonia Concertante by Johann Christoph Bach will follow, a vibrant and rarely heard gem that showcases four soloists—flute, oboe, violin, and cello—set against a colorful ensemble of winds, strings, and continuo. Kyle Dzapo, Blake Duncan, Kelsey Klopfenstein, and Adriana Ransom bring this spirited work to life, revealing the inventive brilliance of another of Bach's sons. After the Intermission, the Peoria Bach Festival Choir will offer Johann Bach’s poignant motet Unser Leben ist ein Schatten (“Our Life Is But a Shadow”), a work of striking devotion. Its sober beauty prepares the way for the evening’s major sacred work: Cantata BWV 78, Jesu, der du meine Seele (“Jesus, You Who [Rescued] My Soul”), With its expressive arias, intricate duets, and radiant choruses, the cantata stands among Bach’s most beloved. The concert concludes with a festival flourish: the third chorale from Cantata BWV 79, Nun danket alle Gott (“Now Thank We All Our God”), scored for full winds, strings, and continuo. Featuring a duet for horns, this triumphant setting will send the audience out with gratitude, joy, and the unmistakable brilliance of Bach’s musical world. Vocal soloists for the evening are Esther Lee (soprano), Elizabeth Thompson (mezzo‑soprano), Trevor Mitchell (tenor), and Gerard Sundberg (baritone).

Time

June 3, 2026 12:00 pm(GMT-05:00)

Location

Westminster Presbyterian Church

1420 West Moss Avenue, Peoria, Illinois, 61606, United States

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Peoria Bach Festival

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Contemporary Art Center - Whisper and Shoutthu04jun8:00 pm

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Whisper & Shout will take place at the Contemporary Art Center beginning at 8 pm. Featuring hosts Ryan Lowry and Whitney Jensen with DJ YV, water and soda are available at the bar and attendees may bring their own food and drink or bring in food and drink from the the Rhythm Kitchen. Featured Poet will be 2Kidd. Advanced tickets are $5 for members, $8 for the public and $3 for poets* and are available in advance at https://309tix.com

*Purchasing a Poet Ticket is a commitment to share your poetry on stage. If you don't plan to read, then don't purchase a poet level ticket. 2Kidd is a proud St. Louis native whose lyrical ability sets her apart as a skilled storyteller and expressionist. Her way with words has earned her two sold-out features at City Winery St. Louis, while audiences in Houston, Chicago, and Detroit have raved about her emotional performances, assisting those recorded performances in garnering millions of online views. Dedicated to the craft of lyricism and determined to be heard, 2Kidd continues to rise as one of the Midwest’s most powerful voices.

Time

June 4, 2026 8:00 pm(GMT+00:00)

Location

Contemporary Art Center

305 SW Water St in Peoria

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Contemporary Art Center

The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria is located on the Peoria riverfront and offers exhibits, live music as well as classes. Their popular live entertainment...

The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria is located on the Peoria riverfront and offers exhibits, live music as well as classes. Their popular live entertainment includes Live at the Five Spot which takes place on Friday evenings, as well as Peoria’s Open Mic for Poetry, Whisper & Shout, the first Thursday of the month. The CAC also participates in the First Fridays Studio Tours every month.

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