The Baroque ensemble BachPlus was founded in 2010. The past fifteen years have been remarkable: BachPlus has performed in concert series in Bruges, Aalst, and Aardenburg (Netherlands) and dozens of concerts in larger Flemish cities and occasionally abroad. These concerts focused on works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach's cantatas formed the backbone of the program, but Bach's larger works, such as the Magnificat, the St. John and St. Matthew Passions, and the Hohe Messe, were also performed.
BachPlus enjoys pairing Bach's cantatas with works by Bach's contemporaries and predecessors. This often leads to illuminating artistic insights and performances.
This programmatic approach is also reflected in the three CDs BachPlus has recorded. These CDs, released on the Et'cetera and Evil Penguin labels, have been praised both in Flanders and internationally for their artistic quality and broadening programming.
The larger concert venues in Flanders (Concertgebouw Brugge, Amuz Antwerp, Festival Van Vlaanderen Ghent, etc.) also noticed BachPlus. In 2019, BachPlus impressed with two enthusiastically received concerts at Klara’s “Iedereen Klassieke” (Everyone Classical) at the Concertgebouw in Bruges. Concertgoers hailed the ensemble as “Flanders’ best-kept musical secret.”
The musicians of BachPlus, all seasoned and seasoned through their involvement in the renowned Baroque ensemble, share their enthusiasm for Bach's brilliant, transcendent, and ever-surprising oeuvre. Under the inspiring leadership of Klara Musician of the Year Bart Naessens, they rehearse and perform with the utmost professionalism, yet in a warm, friendly atmosphere where everyone is open to the artistic input and experiences of fellow musicians. Perhaps it is this artistic openness that distinguishes BachPlus from other ensembles and makes attending their concerts an intense experience.