(Featured image provided courtesy of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem)
Bethlehem, Pa. – Tenor Zachary Fisher has won the 13th Biennial Bach Vocal Competition for American Singers, presented by the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the American Bach Society. A Baroque specialist and member of the voice faculty at the University of Maine, Fisher competed in the finals on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Peter Hall in Bethlehem.
The judging panel included Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem; mezzo-soprano Meg Bragle; soprano Jessica Beebe; and Matthew Dirst, Professor of Music at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and Vice President of the American Bach Society. Fisher performed “Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer” from Bach’s Easter Oratorio, BWV 249, and “Es reißet euch ein schrecklich Ende,” BWV 90.
As the first-prize winner, Fisher will receive a $3,000 career development grant and an opportunity to return to Bethlehem as a soloist with the Bach Choir in a future season under Jackson’s direction. Honorable mentions were awarded to Opal Clyburn-Miller, Lydia Saylor and Juliet Papadopoulos.
“It was invigorating to witness the artistry of my colleagues from around the country. The music of Bach has been central to my journey as a singer, so I am honored to be recognized by an organization with such an extraordinary legacy as the Bach Choir of Bethlehem,” said Fisher. “The Choir’s longstanding commitment to bringing Bach’s music to life is a testament to the enduring power and relevance of his music, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to be a small part of that tradition.”
A Maine native, Fisher has appeared as tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Blue Hill Bach, and Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit pour Noël with the Arcadia Players. The Ellsworth American has described him as a “dreamy, lyric tenor” with “gorgeous, spine-tingling vocals.” His work also includes contemporary music and premieres, among them Bode Omojola’s Funmilayo with Holyoke Opera and the tenor setting of Michael Rickleton’s Battle Songs. He recently made his debut with the Spoleto Festival Chorus in Charleston, South Carolina, under the direction of Dr. Amanda Quist.
Fisher won the 2023 New England NATS competition. He holds a master’s degree in vocal performance and a graduate certificate in choral conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with bachelor’s degrees in vocal performance and music education from the University of Maine. He now teaches voice and leads the opera workshop program at the University of Maine.
“This year’s roster of competitors was exceedingly skilled and represented young artists at a wide variety of points in their careers – from recent graduates of top collegiate programs in the US and Canada to artists already making solo appearances at the MET,” said Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director & Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem. “The future of Bach in America is in excellent hands, and we continue to be proud to play a supportive role in the lives of young artists who hope to make Bach a meaningful part of their careers.”
Held every two years, the competition supports emerging American singers with an expertise in Bach’s music. Applicants submit unedited recordings of two Bach arias for preliminary consideration, with up to eight singers selected to perform in the live finals. The competition is open to U.S. citizens who have not reached their 32nd birthday by the date of the finals.
Information provided to TVL by:
Glenn Koehler
