Music Spanning 7 Centuries to Be Presented By Music Worcester in Upcoming Concerts

Music Worcester's 2025- 2026 season continues, spanning seven centuries of music offering performances from 15th century early music to contemporary jazz.  During the second half of the season, audiences will hear everything from Jordi Savall & Hespèrion XXI to the world premiere of a cantata on the life of Frederick Douglass, as well as six concerts in THE COMPLETE BACH, Music Worcester's ambitious 11-year project to present live performances of all known works by J. S. Bach. 

The second half of the 2026 season opens January 10 at Mechanics Hall with the American Spiritual Ensemble, led by Music Worcester's 2026-2027 Artist-in-Residence, Dr. Everett McCorvey. His acclaimed choir of world-class singers celebrate one of the foundations of American music: the Negro spiritual.

THE COMPLETE BACH continues January 24 as The Worcester Chorus and the Winchendon Players perform three cantatas from Bach's Christmas Oratorio at Mechanics Hall. On February 21, Boston's Emmanuel Music will bring three of Bach's solo cantatas to Assumption College's Curtis Hall.

On February 27, the Aaron Diehl Trio, known for its Jazz at Lincoln Center appearances blending jazz standards with classical influences, performs at The Prior Center at Holy Cross.

The Refugee Orchestra Project, founded in 2016 to unite refugee musicians, performs March 1 at Mechanics Hall, featuring music written by composers who were refugees during their lifetimes, including Béla Bartók and Milad Yousufi, an Afghani musician who has been commissioned to write a new piece for the ensemble. Internationally acclaimed pianist Nelson Goerner follows with a recital at Curtis Hall on March 5 that includes work by Liszt and Albéniz.

Music Worcester's second annual Bach's Birthday Bash Weekend fills Mechanics Hall March 20–22 with four concerts. The celebration begins Friday evening as The Sebastians perform the iconic Brandenburg Concertos. On Saturday afternoon, audiences are invited onstage for an intimate experience featuring harpsichordist Fred Jordy performing the French Overture in B Minor and pianist Kristjon Imperio playing the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue. That evening, the Worcester Chamber Music Society, with pianist Randall Hodgkinson, performs Bach's Musical Offering alongside the Italian Concerto and the Toccata in F-sharp Minor. The weekend concludes Sunday afternoon with the second annual Cantatathon, as ensembles from the Worcester Children's Chorus, Salisbury Singers, Voices of Concinnity, and the First Baptist Church present a selection of Bach cantatas.

The Grammy-nominated duo of Catherine Russell and Sean Mason offers a soulful, intimate performance at the BrickBox Theater at JMAC on March 26.

On April 11, Jordi Savall—described by The Washington Post as “a magical musician”—brings his early music ensemble Hespèrion XXI to Mechanics Hall for a program honoring the more than 25 million victims of European slavery, featuring works by Spanish, Portuguese, Mexican, and French composers from the 15th to 19th centuries.

Alexandre Kantorow, the first French pianist to win first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition, appears at Mechanics Hall on April 17 in a recital playing works by Chopin, Beethoven, and Liszt. He rose to global recognition following his appearance in the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics in 2024.

On April 25, Music Worcester presents the world premiere of Frederick: Cantata on the Life of Frederick Douglass. Composed by Brian Story, the work draws directly from Douglass' speeches, journalism, and autobiography to trace his extraordinary life. The performance features The Worcester Chorus, the Clark University Choir, the New England Repertory Orchestra, and soloist Malcom J. Merriweather, conducted by Cailin Marcel Manson. Story was a longtime member of The Worcester Chorus and completed the work just before his unexpected passing in spring 2025.

The Worcester Chorus Women's Ensemble joins Cantilena, a Greater Boston–based women's chorus, on May 8 at Trinity Lutheran Church for Reena Esmail's I Rise: Women in Song.

Music Worcester and The Hanover Theatre present Dance Theatre of Harlem on May 9. This 18-member ensemble performs forward-looking repertoire that includes beloved classics, neoclassical works, and contemporary pieces that engage with culture and society. Their program features choreography by George Balanchine, Jodie Gates, and DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland, with music by composers including Donizetti, Dvořák, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin.

Music Worcester has been bringing world-renowned musicians and ensembles to Central Massachusetts since its founding in 1858. Today, the organization regularly presents world-renowned orchestras, soloists, and ensembles from the worlds of classical, jazz, folk, world music, and dance to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

In 2024, Music Worcester launched THE COMPLETE BACH, an 11-year project to present live performances of all J.S. Bach's known works. Music Worcester's education and outreach initiatives include in-school workshops and masterclasses, and the availability of free and reduced-price tickets.  Everett McCorvey follows pianist Simone Dinnerstein, and violinist Vijay Gupta, who have served as the Artist-in-Residence, a bi-annual program that establishes deep community relationships with an individual artist.