About the Orchestra

The Bach Society Orchestra, Harvard's premier undergraduate chamber orchestra, is devoted to the study and performance of works for smaller orchestras, from intimate chamber pieces to mid-sized symphonies, taken from a wide range of historical periods. Each season includes four performances throughout the year, often including student and professional collaborations with guest soloists or Harvard choral groups.

Popularly known as BachSoc, the Bach Society Orchestra is staffed, managed, and conducted entirely by students. Each year, the members of the orchestra select a student, always an undergraduate, to be their conductor for the following year. In turn, at the beginning of the new year the inaugurated conductor reauditions every member of the orchestra, ensuring that the quality of the orchestra remains high. BachSoc's rehearsals and concerts provide a refreshingly egalitarian ethos combined with the highest standards of musical performance.