Johanna Soller new artistic leader of the Netherlands Bach Society
Johanna Soller has been appointed as artistic leader of the Netherlands Bach Society starting May 1. She succeeds Shunske Sato, who held that position until June 2023. Johanna Soller is the seventh artistic leader in our ensemble's 104-year history.
Johanna Soller is an artistic leader who can bring together the Bach Society’s rich history and traditions with our ambitions and our mission Bach for all. Janneke Slokkers, managing director of the Bach Society: ‘I am incredibly happy and proud to start working with Johanna. Her genuine and sincere style of making music - always with the music itself as starting point - and her pleasant, transparent style of conducting suit us perfectly. Her approach to Bach's music, as a specialist in historically informed performance practice and as a church organist, fits seamlessly into our tradition, which we continue to cherish. She represents a new generation of artistic leaders who look at today’s rapidly changing society with an open mind, with room for new initiatives and experiments to serve our audiences, young and old.’
Dream come true
For Johanna Soller, the appointment is a dream come true: ‘It is a huge honour and privilege to be appointed artistic leader of the extraordinary Nederlandse Bachvereniging and to succeed my highly esteemed predecessors Shunske Sato and Jos Van Veldhoven in this position. From the very beginning, the unique atmosphere of artistic warmth and the deep devotion to the core of the music, that each individual musician in the NBV exudes, felt like a musical embrace. With the enthusiasm, open-mindedness, curiosity and love for Bach’s music that we all share, I am immensely looking forward to be leading this world class ensemble on its exciting musical journey.’
Inspiration
From May 1, Johanna Soller will start programming for season 2026-2027 and beyond. In the upcoming 2025-2026 season, she will present herself to audiences as artistic leader with her project Bach's inspiration, which will run from 10 to 17 May 2026 in venues across the country. After 2025-2026, she will be leading and conducting about half of the Bach Society's projects. Johanna Soller will hold the position of the ensemble’s artistic leader at least up to and including the 2029-2030 season.
About Johanna Soller
German Johanna Soller (Burghausen, 1989) is one of the most promising young Baroque conductors of our time. A specialist in historically informed performance practice and vocal music, she made her mark as harpsichordist, organist and choral conductor. She is artistic leader of the Münchener Bach-Chor & Orchester, organises the Bach cantata series Cantate um 1715 with her own ensemble Capella Solertia, teaches basso continuo within the Institute of Historical Performance of the Hochschule für Musik, Munich, and organist of St. Peter, Munich's oldest parish church.
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