American Bach Soloists

The American Bach Soloists (ABS) is a renowned ensemble dedicated to historically informed performances of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries. Founded in 1989, the organization has been under the artistic leadership of co-founder and Music Director Jeffrey Thomas, who has been instrumental in shaping ABS's reputation as a premier interpreter of Baroque music.\n\nBased in San Francisco, California, ABS aims to provide audiences with meaningful and memorable musical experiences, both through live performances and recordings. The group is committed to the preservation and education of early music, offering educational programs for students and emerging professionals.\n\nABS is known for its use of early instruments, which are either antique or accurate reproductions, to perform music in the style it was originally intended. This practice, known as Historically Informed Performance Practice, not only involves the instruments themselves but also the nuanced aspects of expression, articulation, and tuning that were characteristic of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical eras.\n\nThe ensemble's annual programming includes a Subscription Series with performances in various locations such as Belvedere, Berkeley, Davis, and San Francisco. ABS is also celebrated for its annual holiday performances of Handel's \"Messiah,\" which have become a Bay Area tradition since 1992. The American Bach Soloists Festival & Academy, held each summer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is a highlight of the season, offering a rich array of performances, master classes, and lectures.\n\nABS's commitment to artistic collaboration and innovation is evident in its diverse range of projects, including partnerships with dance organizations and the presentation of newly discovered Baroque works. The ensemble has also gained international acclaim, performing at prestigious festivals and venues across the United States, Europe, and Asia.\n\nThe American Bach Choir, part of the ABS, has been praised for its clarity and quality of sound, exploring a wide repertoire from the Baroque period to contemporary compositions. In 2010, ABS launched the American Bach Soloists Academy, a professional training program for advanced students and emerging professionals in the field of Historically