The American Kantorei chorus and orchestra is based in St. Louis, Missouri and dedicated to performing the music of J.S. Bach in performances accessible to all audiences.
The American Kantorei was incorporated as an independent Missouri nonprofit organization in July 2017. Previously, the group operated under the auspices of Concordia Seminary in Clayton, Missouri and performed at the Bach at the Sem concert series for more than 25 years. The American Kantorei held its last concert at Concordia Seminary in May 2017. When Concordia Seminary announced that it would no longer offer the Bach at the Sem concerts, the musicians, supporters, and friends of the American Kantorei were unwilling to let such a long-standing and important St. Louis musical tradition disappear. This community engaged in a grassroots campaign to organize the American Kantorei as a stand-alone nonprofit and to begin fundraising to enable free performances of Bach’s choral and instrumental works to continue.
The American Kantorei presents several concerts each year and specializes in the performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sacred choral works in the original German, as well as music of Schütz, Buxtehude, Mendelssohn and other Lutheran composers. Depending on the requirements of each performance, the American Kantorei averages 30 members in the choir and 10 members in the orchestra.
Visit our concert listing to learn about upcoming performances.
