Bach in the Subways: Tbilisi hosting anniversary with founder’s public concert

Georgia's capital Tbilisi will be one of three cities around the world hosting Dale Henderson, founder of the Bach in the Subways annual concert series, to mark an anniversary of the birth of the famed classical composer this year.

Henderson, a cellist, will be travelling to the city to perform for music enthusiasts in an open-air show in the yard of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre this Sunday.

The concert will mark 333 years since the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach, and will be part of a global program of publicly accessible performances to attract new audiences to classical music.

Bach in the Subways' founder @dale_cello performs in 3 cities on 3 continents for #Bach333. We are ready to announce that he’ll be going to Singapore and Tbilisi, Georgia! What is the third city? Stay tuned. https://t.co/oZwUckBMlv

— Bach in the Subways (@BachInTheSubway) March 15, 2018

Tbilisi has marked the annual date for four years, however this year the city has been picked among three destinations where Henderson will perform himself.

Singapore and a yet-to-be-announced city in the United States are the other two locations hosting the artist's appearances.

Henderson will also be accompanied in Tbilisi by a group filming events of the celebration around the world, further raising international awareness of the Georgian capital's participation in the date.

The American musician will be joined by students of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and select music schools, in addition to other artists applying to take part.

Their show will be held in the yard of the city's major theatre venue as thousands are expected to perform in about 150 cities across the globe between March 21-25.

Foundations for the annual celebration were laid by Henderson in 2010, when he staged solo performances of Bach's Cello Suites in subway stations throughout New York.

Inspired by the idea of popularising classical music to everyday audiences outside of official concert halls, Henderson invited two other performers to join the event in 2011, marking the first Bach in the Subways occasion.