March 21 is the 330th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, and students from Berklee College of Music will be celebrating by giving a free concert in South Station. From 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. the chamber orchestra and choir will play Bach favorites under the station’s schedule board, including the Concerto for Two Violins in D minor and the Sonata for Solo Flute in A minor.
“We want to share our love for Bach [by] performing his pieces in a unique way, with a twist!” said Gabriela Gomez-Estevez, a Berklee student and organizer for the event in an email. “We took several of his most well-known pieces and arranged it in contemporary styles (Jazz, Swing, etc.), the Berklee way!”
Gomez-Estevez said 27 musicians, 26 from Berklee and one from the Boston Conservatory, will be performing. Gomez-Estevez will be playing the flute in the performances.
“I personally got involved in this project because J. S. Bach is one of my favorite composers, and I enjoy and respect his work very much,” said Gomez-Estevez. “I feel that through his music, I have learned and grown a lot and I wanted to give back and say ‘thank you’ through this performance, and possibly inspire other people too. Being able to play and listen to his music is truly a gift.”
Bach in the Subways is an event that takes place worldwide. It was founded by cellist Dale Henderson in 2010 with performances in the New York City as well.
