What began as a group of friends coming together to play the music of Bach has become one of the world's premiere Baroque ensembles. Founded in 1977 by J. Reilly Lewis

J. Reilly Lewis

J. Reilly Lewis, a native of Washington, D.C., is the founding conductor of the Washington Bach Consort and the music director of the Cathedral Choral Society. He is recognized internationally as a conductor and keyboard artist as well as a specialist in baroque music, particularly the music of J. S...

, the Washington Bach Consort is a professional chorus and orchestra noted for its performance of 18th-century music on period instruments. It has appeared at numerous festivals and has made three critically acclaimed European tours. Recordings include Bach's complete motets, the Magnificats of both J.S. Bach and C.P.E Bach, and the first American recording of the F Major and G minor Masses, and three solo soprano cantatas featuring opera superstar Elizabeth Futral

Elizabeth Futral

Elizabeth Futral is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan....

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The Consort recently completed Bach's entire 215-cantata cycle. In association with this monumental achievement, the Library of Congress

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...

has welcomed the Washington Bach Consort performance recording and concert program archives into its permanent collection.