In its thirty year history, the Bach Society at Christ the King Lutheran Church has become an important part of Houston’s cultural landscape, presenting professional, historically informed performances of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and many other composers. Founded in 1982 as an interest group within the congregation under the initial leadership of Carroll and Dorry Shaddock, it evolved into an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
The Bach Society’s typical annual season now includes Bach Vespers with choir and orchestra, Abendmusik concerts, Organ and Voice, and Chamber Music concerts, all of which are open to the general public with a free-will offering or ticket charge. The Society’s resident Bach Choir is a sixteen-four voice professional ensemble. The audience for the Society’s events is loyal and diverse; the presentation venues are usually filled to capacity, an affirmation of the Bach Society’s important role in Houston’s cultural life.
The Society has also built an international reputation as a cultural organization and has served as a musical “ambassador” of Houston and the United States through its active involvement in Houston’s sister-city relationship with Leipzig, an international tour, compact disc recordings, and the co-sponsorship of lectures and master classes by resident and visiting artists. The Society’s longevity and demonstrated artistic excellence have created a culture in which private donations and free-will offerings fund approximately 85% of its expenses in lieu of ticket sales or admission charge.