Malaysia Bach Festival Singers and Orchestra

“Lively, very modern, very self-confident… delicate, immaculately intoned, clearly articulated, smoothly phrased and as intelligent as it is boldly dynamic… a first-class concert”.

- Leipziger Volkszeitung

(Leipzig People’s Newspaper) 2024

Bachfest Malaysia was founded by Artistic Director David Chin in 2015. Its inaugural performance was the Malaysian premiere of St. John Passion by the Malaysia Bach Festival Singers and Orchestra. Since then, they have performed Mass in B minor, St. Matthew Passion, numerous cantatas, motets, and instrumental works by Johann Sebastian Bach. They recently performed several Bach cantatas and motets at the St. Thomas Church during the renowned international Bachfest Leipzig in Germany, and received raving reviews and extended standing ovation. They also performed at the St. George’s Church in Eisenach and the Bach Church in Arnstadt.

In their home country, the Malaysia Bach Festival Singers and Orchestra have performed in Kuala Lumpur, Muar, George Town, Sibu, Bintulu, and Kota Kinabalu. Their performances of Bach's music have been repeatedly recognized at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards, winning "Best of 2019" and "Best Choral Ensemble Performance" for St. Matthew Passion in 2020, and "Best Ensemble Performance" for "Prelude" from Orchestral Suite in C in 2019. That same year, David Chin's performance of Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D major also received "Best Solo Instrumental Performance”.

Bachfest Malaysia has been creating excellent music-making opportunities for young local talents. Malaysia Bach Festival Singers and Orchestra consists some of the best musicians in the country, which include leaders and principals from prominent ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Virama, Young Choral Academy, KL City Opera, Wicked Music People, VerSes, YinQi Choir, Klpac Orchestra, to name a few. Apart from the music of J.S. Bach, they have also performed works by composers such as Byrd, Victoria, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, and Dan Forrest, as well as a new commission by Malaysian composer Caeleb Tee.