Singing in Music | Influence of choral to bel canto in Bach and Chopin

From cavemen grunting to religious chanting and later singing in all forms, the voice is at the centre of art and communication. But how can we sing and speak without words as instrumentalists, and how do composers learn from singing? Learn with Bach and Chopin.

Pianist Ian Tomaz presents a series of lectures and concerts which uses J.S. Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 to guide the general public towards a deeper understanding of classical music and trace its influence on later composers. Each cycle includes one concert, which pairs 6 of the 24 Preludes and Fugues with works of composers influenced by Bach; and three lectures, where specific musical characteristics of each Prelude and Fugue are connected to later works, showing the audience how the principles exemplified by Bach pervade all musical genres and eras. This series is inspired by Nadia Boulanger, whose work Ian has been studying in Paris since 2021, and takes place across Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.

For more information on the Bach Cycle Series, please follow this link.

Entrance to this music & information session is by donation.