By Popular Demand:
A Second Chance to Follow in Bach’s Footsteps
Dates: Monday 26th October – Friday 30th October 2026
Director: Ben England BEM
Imagine walking the streets J.S. Bach trod every day. Imagine lifting your voice to sing his music in the very churches where he worked and composed, accompanied by a professional baroque orchestra and world-class soloists…
Our September 2026 trip to Leipzig sold out in record time! We know many of you were disappointed to miss out on this extraordinary musical pilgrimage, so we are thrilled to announce that a second trip is going ahead in October 2026!
This is your chance to rehearse and perform Bach’s iconic cantatas and his Magnificat in the historic venues where they first premiered.
About the Trip
The October itinerary mirrors that of September, and is available to view here. It includes:
The Concert: A full-scale performance at St Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche), performed at baroque pitch (A=415) with a professional baroque orchestra and five professional vocal soloists.
The Music: Rehearse and perform Bach’s iconic Magnificat in D major, Cantata 140 (Wachet auf), and Cantata 147.
Cultural Highlights: A Welcome Dinner at a historic keller, a guided classical music city tour, and a private organ demonstration at the Thomaskirche.
Expert Leadership: Full rehearsals and musical direction under world-class conductor Ben England.
Learning Resources: Full access to digital scores, teaching and guide tracks via choirlibrary.com.
See and the full itinerary for more!
Key Trip Information
Pricing & "Early Bird" Offer:
Early Bird Price: £1,395 per person (sharing a twin/double room).
Standard Price: £1,445 per person (effective from 2 March).
Single Supplement: £250 for an upgrade to a private single hotel room.
Accommodation: 4 nights at IntercityHotel Leipzig (or similar), including a daily buffet breakfast.
Transport & Accessibility:
Flights: Please note that flights or other transport to and from the hotel in Leipzig are not included.
On the Ground: Narrow medieval streets mean our coach often cannot stop directly at venues. Participants must be able to manage walks of 10-15 minutes on cobbled surfaces.
Wheelchair Access: Wheelchair-accessible hotel rooms are available on request.
Non-Singing Travel Companions:
We warmly welcome non-singing companions to join the group and enjoy the full tour itinerary, social events, and accommodation at the same per-person rate as our singers.
Please note that for a non-singer to join the group for any part of the itinerary, including the Welcome Dinner and tours, a formal companion place must be booked - see the “How To Book” section below for details on how to add a guest to your reservation.
Singers who book a companion place will be expected to share a room with them.
For more information, please consult the trip T&Cs.
Booking Priority & Timeline
We are opening bookings in stages to ensure those who have already expressed interest are served first:
Deposit Holders: If you have already paid a £130 deposit, you have first priority. Check your email inbox for an exclusive invitation and Coupon Code to subtract your £130 deposit from your first payment.
COTE Members: Members of Choir of the Earth will benefit from a 48-hour exclusive priority window before general release.
General Release: Remaining places will be opened to the wider community in the evening on Monday 23 February. They will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Places available: Maximum 80 bookings - a more “boutique” experience than the larger September trip!
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Important: Account Requirements & Travel Companions
Singers: Every singing participant must have their own individual choirlibrary.com account.
Non-Singing Companions: These places are available at the same price as singing places and are limited to one companion per singer. Companions may take part in all the trip activities, but will not have access to the online teaching resources - so please do not use this feature to book on behalf of another singer.
How to book a Companion: To keep things simple, your non-singing companion does not need their own Library account. You will be emailed a special non-singers’ booking link after you have first completed your own booking.
Step 1: Sign In or Register (Free Account)
You must be logged in to choirlibrary.com to access the booking options.
If you already have an account: Click here to Sign In
If you are new to the Library: Click here to create your Free Account
Step 2: Complete Your Booking & Payment
Once signed in, use the link below, or in your invitation email, to select your preferred package (Full Payment or Instalment Payments).
Step 3: Finalise Your Details
After your payment is successful, you will see a confirmation screen and receive an email. Both will contain:
Mandatory Travel Form: A link to provide your passport, dietary details, and voice part.
Companion Booking Link: The above-mentioned link to book for one non-singing companion (at the same price) if you wish to bring someone with you.
A link to your online learning materials.
N.B. You will also be prompted to fill in a travel form for your companion after successful payment - please provide their passport details etc rather than your own.
Please note: After clicking, you might be asked to sign in or register for a free account. Since choirlibrary.com is a separate site, your existing Choir of the Earth Members Area login will not be recognised. See “How To Book”, above, for instructions.