The Bach Choir of Bethlehem is introducing two new projects for young people as part of its 108th Bethlehem Bach Festival in May 2015.

Bach Choir of Bethlehem Artistic director and conductor Greg Funfgeld has invited auditioned students to participate in a Bach Chaconne Project as part of the Bach Festival Orchestra concert.

This opportunity is modeled on a project facilitated by Dr. Larry Lipkis as part of The Choir's 2013 Family Concert.

Eight students (or up to 16 to perform over the two Festival weekends) will be chosen. The students will have five 60-minute sessions on Saturday mornings with Dr. Larry Lipkis, Composer-in-Residence and music professor at Moravian College. They will work on composing variations over the ground bass from Bach's "Chaconne in D Minor."

Under the direction of Funfgeld, the students will then perform these variations at the May 2 and 9 Festival concerts with the Bach Festival Orchestra playing the ground bass. Following the variations, the "Chaconne" will be played in its original form for unaccompanied solo violin.

On the first weekend, the soloist is Caroline Goulding, who is playing a Bach violin concerto in the Festival Friday evening concerts. On the second weekend, the soloist is Bach Festival Orchestra concertmaster Elizabeth Field.

Zimmerman's Coffee House is a new late night Bach Festival event in the Terrace Room of Hotel Bethlehem. It is modeled after the Zimmermann's Coffee House of Bach's time in Leipzig, Germany.

Individuals may audition to play or sing solos. Ensembles may audition to play chamber music. Students chosen to participate will receive gift coupons for a meal at the Hotel Bethlehem and tickets to selected Bach Festival concerts.

Judges for the auditions are Funfgeld, Lipkis and Eugene Albulescu, associate professor of music at Lehigh University and director of The Lehigh University Philharmonic.

Here is audition information:

Chacone Project

Auditions for middle or high school violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone and classical guitar students (Grades 6 - 12) in Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 10 (Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill counties) and Bucks County are 3 p.m. Jan. 16, Bach Choir Office, 440 Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem.

Students should prepare four - five minutes of Baroque music. Five 60-minute work sessions are March 14, 21, 28 and April 11, 18. Rehearsal with Bach Festival Orchestra is 7:30 p.m. April 30. Performances are 10:30 a.m. May 2 and-or 9, Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University.

Zimmerman's Coffee House

Auditions for college or high school student instrumentalists or singers of advanced ability for Baroque music for solo instruments and voices or ensembles (vocal or instrumental) in Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 10 (Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill counties) and Bucks County will be held 1 p.m. Jan. 30, The Bach Choir Offices, 440 Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem.

Each soloist-ensemble should prepare six - eight minutes of music.

Ten acts or up to 20 acts are to be presented over the two Festival weekends, to be selected by Feb. 15. Final approval of pieces is March 27 for performances 9 -11 p.m. May 2 and-or May 9, Terrace Room Hotel Bethlehem.

Recommendation from teacher of private lessons by email to: bridget@bach.org.

Information: Bridget George, Executive Director, The Bach Choir of Bethlehem. 610-866-4382, ext. 11