About the Orchestra
The Bach Society Orchestra, Harvard's premier undergraduate chamber orchestra, is devoted to the study and performance of works for smaller orchestras, from intimate chamber pieces to mid-sized symphonies, taken from a wide range of historical periods. Each season includes four performances throughout the year, often including student and professional collaborations with guest soloists or Harvard choral groups.
Popularly known as BachSoc, the Bach Society Orchestra is staffed, managed, and conducted entirely
by students. Each year, the members of the orchestra select a student, always an undergraduate, to
be their conductor for the following year. In turn, at the beginning of the new year the inaugurated
conductor reauditions every member of the orchestra, ensuring that the quality of the orchestra
remains high. BachSoc's rehearsals and concerts provide a refreshingly egalitarian ethos combined
with the highest standards of musical performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Music Director
Soren Nyhus '22, Music Director
Soren Nyhus, a junior in Quincy House and a Music concentrator, is the Music Director of the Bach Society Orchestra for the 2020-2021 season. A pianist, cellist, composer, and conductor, he was a member of the Bach Society’s cello section for two years before being elected to the Music Director position. During the past year, he served as one of two Student Conductors for the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra and was the Assistant Music Director for the Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ production of H.M.S. Pinafore in Fall of 2019. He has studied conducting with Federico Cortese for two years and has participated in several summer programs, including the Miami Music Festival.
More about SorenOur Officers
- Claire Millett '21, clairemillett [at] college.harvard.edu Production
- Esther Plotnick '21, eplotnick [at] college.harvard.edu Finance
- Maggie Chen '22, maggiechen [at] college.harvard.edu Finance
- Brandon Gong '22, brandongong [at] college.harvard.edu Internal Relations
- Johanna Alstott '22, jalstott [at] college.harvard.edu Internal Relations
- Melissa Yamada '21, melissayamada [at] college.harvard.edu External Relations
- Paige Lee '22, paigelee [at] college.harvard.edu External Relations
- Hannah Thurlby '23, hbthurlby [at] college.harvard.edu Personnel Manager
- Hahn Lheem '23, hahnlheem [at] college.harvard.edu Treasurer, Librarian
- Anthony Zhu '22, anthonyzhu [at] college.harvard.edu Ticketmaster
- Justin Tseng '22, justintseng [at] college.harvard.edu Merchandise
- Kate Sierra '23, katiesierra [at] college.harvard.edu Alumni and Development
- Maycee Wieczorek '23, mwieczorek [at] college.harvard.edu Publicity/Social Media
- Kathy Enright '22, kenright [at] college.harvard.edu Social Chair
- Tessa Haining '23, tessahaining [at] college.harvard.edu Social Chair
- Chris Sun '21, c_sun [at] college.harvard.edu Poster Design
- Raymond Jow '22, rjow [at] college.harvard.edu Poster Design
- Raymond Feng '23, raymond_feng [at] college.harvard.edu Program Design Chair
- Matt Finlayson '21, matthewfinlayson [at] college.harvard.edu Competitions Coordinator
- Henry Bosch '22, henrybosch [at] college.harvard.edu Web
Our Musicians
Conductors
- Soren Nyhus '22, Music Director
- Camden Archambeau, Assistant Conductor
Violin
- Richard Luo '23
- Melissa Yamada '21
- Raymond Feng '23
- Beverly Ge '20
- Tessa Hanning '23
- Jacquelyn Ho '20
- Christie Hung '22
- Raymond Jow '22
- Cara Lynn Kim
- Sheridan Marsh '20
- Claire Millett '21
- Esther Plotnick '21
- Alex Zhou '23
Viola
- Amy Zhou '21
- Sam Dvorak '23
- Matthew Finlayson '20
- Matthew Garcia '23
- Maycee Wieczorek '23
Cello
- Hahn Lheem '23
- Hannah Lang '23
- Nicholas Lee '21
- Soren Nyhus '22
- Chris Sun '21
- Justin Tseng '22
- Matt Ybarra '20
Flute & Piccolo
- Paige Lee '22
- Isabel Bernhard '20
Oboe
- Johanna Alstott '22
- Brandon Gong '22
- Hannah Thurlby '23
Clarinet
- Maggie Chen '22
- Patrick Dickinson '22
- Matthew Parsons '20
French Horn
- Katie Pyne
- Katherine Enright '22
- Ethan Wang '23
Trumpet
- Henry Bosch '22
