In April 2015, Gordon Safari founded the Ensemble BachWerkVokal Salzburg, which defines its central artistic point of reference in Johann Sebastian Bach's vocal works. Within a short time Bach-WerkVokal developed into a recognized ensemble for historical performance practice in Salzburg and Austria. Invitations to the Herkulessaal (Munich) and Neues Schloss (Stuttgart) with Handels Messiah and Bachs Christmas Oratorio followed. The ensemble has since made regular guest appearances in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. BachWerkVokal is organizing its own series of concerts in Christuskirche in Salzburg.

 

Outstanding musicians from all over Europe come together at BachWerkVokal to form an ensemble consisting of a vocal and instrumental ensemble. Based on the example of the Baroque era, the musicians are both soloists and tuttists. The abolition of this often classifying boundary between “solo” and “choir / orchestra” explains the extremely transparent and brilliant sound of the ensemble.

 

In just two years, this ensemble realized around 30 different programs under Safari. A contextually inspired Bach interpretation is sought through creative program concepts. In this way the extraordinary is created: the repertoire of the 15th – 21st centuries is related thematically and musically to Bach's music. In addition, Gordon Safari, as artistic director, consciously seeks creative exchange with other arts such as theater, dance, video art, visual arts or poetry and has also regularly turned to opera and music theater since 2018.

 

The aim to soak the scores at the highest level and the joy of “unheard” interpretations characterize the ensemble BachWerkVokal Salzburg. The conductor Gordon Safari stands for this maxim. The debut CD “Cantate Domino” was released with the label MDG label in 2019, followed by "Jesu meine Freude" (2021). Both recordings were extremely well received by the international press and were nominated for the Opus Klassik and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.