The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the American Bach Society have announced the 13th Biennial Bach Vocal Competition for American Singers.
The finals will take place on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where finalists will perform before a panel of judges and a live audience.
The First Prize winner will receive a $3,000 career development grant and an invitation to perform as a soloist with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Christopher Jackson in a future season. Up to three additional awards of $500 each may also be granted at the judges’ discretion.
The panel of judges for the Oct. 24 finals includes Jackson alongside mezzo-soprano Meg Bragle, soprano Jessica Beebe, and Matthew Dirst, Professor of Music at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and Vice President of the American Bach Society.
The competition was founded in 2000 and is dedicated to young American vocalists with a special interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. It is co-sponsored by the American Bach Society, which has promoted the appreciation and scholarship of Bach and his musical circle since its founding in 1972.