50th Anniversary of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute

The Riemenschneider Bach Institute (RBI) is a gem on the campus of BW. The legacy of Dr. Albert and Selma Riemenschneider, the RBI is a research library that serves as a hub for scholarship. We publish a biannual journal, foster student research through our RBI Scholars program, and attract researchers from around the world. Where else can you can find manuscripts in the hand of Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms' own rehearsal score of his German Requiem, a rare set of partbooks for Renaissance motets, an archive of programs, letters and pictures from past BW Bach Festivals, and Jerome Robbins' personal script for "Gypsy," all in the same place?

For the Golden Anniversary of the RBI in 2019-2020, we present a series of exhibitions, lectures and concerts. Each event connects Bach with another strand of music history. Our celebration culminates in the 88th BW Bach Festival in April 2020, which features a partnership with the Westminster Choir College as they celebrate their 100th Anniversary and the world premiere of a Bach-inspired composition by the winner of the RBI 50th Composition Contest: Dr. James Primosch.

A generous anonymous donation and a bequest from the estate of Dorinda Hawk '58 have already launched an ambitious expansion of the RBI Scholars program. Our goal is to grow our collection of rare items; to expand access with more resources for digitization, cataloging and displaying our items; and to host more lectures and concerts that bring our collections to life. Your sponsorship helps realize the dream of a vibrant center for student and faculty collaboration. Please consider joining us in celebrating the 50th with a gift of $50 or more.