An NEH Institute for School Teachers , "J. S. Bach in the Age of the Baroque and the Enlightenment," will take place June 30 – July 25, 2008, and is offered in Eisenach, Bach’s birthplace; Leipzig, Bach’s longest musical post; and Potsdam, where Bach met Frederick the Great. The primary focus of this Institute is to understand the intellectual and musical worlds of J. S. Bach. We will investigate the aesthetic and spiritual systems of knowledge and belief of the 18th century as mirrored in Bach's music. Participating teachers from a wide variety of disciplines will gain a deeper understanding of Bach's musical universe and a more profound awareness of the various approaches to interpreting his music and setting it in context. Although the major focus will be on Bach's own world, we will also examine how Bach's music has been interpreted in recent times, showing how it has taken on new life in ways that respond to the cultural assumptions of the modern world. Please go to www.bachforteachers.org where more information and application guidelines are posted. The Institute will include 25 participants chosen from K-12 teachers throughout the United States.

Each Institute member will receive a stipend of $3,000 towards the costs of transportation, living expenses, and books/scores.