Listen to free live music at BART stations March 21-31 for Bach in the Subways
BART invites the public to visit a station between March 21 and 31 to listen to free live classical music as part of Bach in the Subways, a global celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach and his enduring music. Find the schedule, which is subject to change, below. All performances take place in non-paid areas of stations.
Bach in the Subways was started organically in 2010 by New York City-based musician Dale Henderson and has grown into an international event that invites musicians to play Bach in public spaces. Musicians have played in more than 150 cities across 40 countries. Watch a short video of a previous performance here.
Schedule of Performances
Subject to change
| Performer | BART Station | Time |
|---|---|---|
| SF Bach Singers | Embarcadero | March 21, 11-11:30am |
| Michelle Fu/Richard Cheung | Embarcadero | March 21, 1-2pm |
| Mia Lightdale | Downtown Berkeley | March 21, 2pm-3:30pm |
| PALAPALAKA Music and Arts LLC | Rockridge | March 21, 3-4pm |
| Faith Winds and Brass | Castro Valley | March 21, 4-6pm |
| Daniel and Eva Play Bach | Rockridge | March 23, 3-5pm |
| Daniel P. | Rockridge | March 25, 3-5pm |
| Second Career Trumpet player | Orinda | March 28, 12-12:30pm |
| Joseph S. | Embarcadero | March 28, 1-1:30pm |
| Francisco Ensemble | Downtown Berkeley | March 28, 2pm |
| String quintet plays Bach | Embarcadero | March 28, 3-4pm |
| Audacity | Fremont | March 28, 4pm |
| Francisco Ensemble | Downtown Berkeley | March 28, 2pm-4pm |
| California Bach Society | Rockridge | March 29, 3pm-5pm |
| Adarsh and Andres | Downtown Berkeley | March 30, 6:30pm-7:30pm |
| The Cox-Rothmans | Daly City | March 31, 5pm-6pm |
Want to play music at a BART station?
You can still sign up to play music for Bach in the Subways! Playing Bach isn't a requirement, but it is recommended. Follow these three steps:
1) Register here.
2) Apply for BART's free Expressive Activity Permit.
3) Show up with your permit and play!
For participating musicians, BART requires that they not affix any signs on the walls, do not use amplified music, and only perform in non-paid areas of the stations. Bach in the Subways requires that participating musicians not solicit tips or accept any money as it is meant to be a shared gift of musical joy. Read more about requirements and guidelines here.
For general questions about Bach in the Subways, email [email protected]. For questions related to BART, email [email protected].