The International Bach Chamber Music Festival
Music causes vibrations in the human body. Some kinds of sounds help to heal the crystalline structure of the human organism at the level of cells. That is one of the reasons why The entire world is still passionate about the life and music of the great Baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach. There are Bach societies and Bach interest clubs all over the world - too many to count up. Bach's music contains energy, joy and vitality which encourages people to think about the great composer, to discuss him, to share opinions about him. The bottom line is that people want to be with Bach.
The International Bach Chamber Music Festival is focussed on the intimate, the soulful, the personal. It manifests the producers' desire to reveal Bach from the "quiet side" and show that the relatively few sounds in a chamber music score can say just as much in the way of fundamental ideas, thoughts and content as Bach's major vocal and symphonic compositions.
The concept of the Festival strives to embrace a wealth of aesthetic, cultural and historical values. For one thing, audiences at the festival hear seldom performed interpretations of Bach's chamber music, including the compositions that were produced by the great artist's sons and contemporaries, as well as the music inspired by Bach's personality. The festival is also a cradle for new music - each year there are new works commissioned especially for the festival.
The concerts are always held in the venues which are entirely appropriate for them - historical buildings of Old Rīga: Great Guild Hall, Small Guild Hall, Art Museaum Riga Bourse, Museaum of Riga History and Navigation, St. John's Church, Riga Dome Cathedral.
The seventh concert locale is the Latvian Academy of Music. Students who are learning to play organ and harpsichord these participate in the concerts, and that is another aspect of the festival - it encourages the the young people to perform the works of Bach and his contemporaries at very distinguished concerts thus giving fresh interpretations of well known Baroque music.
The International Bach Chamber Music Festival also organises master classes for students and professionals.
The festival is member of European Early Music Network REMA since 2006.
On 21 March 2011 Ms Aina Kalnciema in her capacity of the President of Bach Music Foundation and the Director of Bach Chamber Music Festival received the Annual Award of Riga City Council "the White Sparrow" for her significant contribution to the international cultural exchange through collaboration with outstanding and renowned artists worldwide.