Coming up in Philly music: A New Year’s Eve Bachfest

Two years ago, the director of Choral Arts Philadelphia, Matthew Glandorf, scheduled a performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio that lasted from 4pm to 8pm on New Year’s Eve. It didn’t sound like something people would flock to on New Year’s Eve, but it sold out and the audience loved it. One satisfied listener liked it so much he provided a challenge grant for a repeat, and now the performance is back to close out 2016.

The Christmas Oratorio is actually six separate cantatas. The six sections form a unified narrative, but they’re rarely played together in a single performance in the United States. This year, the performance is once again scheduled for 4-8pm, with a break in the middle featuring refreshments for sale from food trucks including sandwiches from The Grill Cheese, pan-Asian fare from Wheely Wheely Good, and All of a Sudden Desserts. You can dally with one of Bach’s greatest works and still have time to engage in more conventional New Year’s Eve activities.

Choral Arts Philadelphia will present Bach’s Christmas Oratorio on December 31 at 4pm at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 38th and Chestnut Streets. Tickets are $15-45 and they’re available in advance online and at the door while they last.