Bach Cantata Choir to Perform at Historic Steiner Log Church in May

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times

The Bach Cantata Choir of Portland is coming to the historic Steiner Log Church this May for two performances featuring works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and other Baroque composers, along with an audience sing-along.

The concerts are scheduled for Sunday, May 17, with performances at 3 – 4 p.m. (sold out) and 5 – 6 p.m., with limited tickets still available.

The program will be performed at the Steiner Log Church, located at 68835 E. Barlow Trail Road, a landmark built entirely by hand by cabin builder Henry Steiner and his family. The intimate venue seats approximately 60 people.

The choir is planning a varied program that includes orchestral and choral selections, instrumental features, and well-known Bach chorales.

Draft repertoire includes selections such as Handel’s Water Music, Bach chorales from Cantata No. 147 including “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” movements from Bach’s motets and cantatas, Vivaldi’s Cum Sancto Spiritu from Gloria, and Mouret’s Rondeau, widely recognized as the theme from Masterpiece Theatre.

Audience participation remains a hallmark of the program, with familiar chorales inviting attendees to join in during select pieces.

For many choir members, the experience offers more than music. One singer recalled joining during a difficult period in her life and expecting to be turned away after being out of practice. Instead, she was accepted and said the choir has since become an important part of her life. Another member said she hesitated before auditioning, but now finds a strong sense of connection and belonging in the group. 

Others point to the leadership of Ralph Nelson as a defining element of the ensemble. “I’ve sung in many choirs throughout my life,” a member said. “He’s a remarkable combination of a really outstanding musician: he’s very kind, and he’s demanding without being difficult.”

Nelson, founder and artistic director of the choir, has been active in the Portland music scene for more than 25 years and previously worked in orchestra management with the Oregon Symphony. He is a graduate of Amherst College and studied composition and conducting in France. He has focused much of his career on community-based music and education.

Nelson said the idea behind the group began more than 20 years ago as an ambitious goal to perform all of Bach’s cantatas, more than 200 by some counts.

“I’m kind of known for doing crazy ideas with hooks like that,” he said with a laugh. “We’re at 80 cantatas now, and I hope, even if I'm not conducting, that the group will go on and complete the project, probably in about 30 years from now!”

The upcoming concerts were inspired in part by a visit to the Steiner Log Church. “We were blown away,” Nelson said. He later connected with mountain resident Mike Gudge, who owns the building and has played a key role in restoring it, and the two arranged for the choir to perform there.

He later connected with mountain resident Mike Gudge, who owns the building and has played a key role in restoring it, and the two arranged for the choir to perform there. “I knew this would be a popular concert, and it’s proved to be just that.” So popular, in fact, that organizers say they may return next year.

The choir performs regularly in Portland and throughout the region, including appearances at the Mount Angel Abbey Bach Festival and international travel such as a 2024 performance at the Leipzig Bach Festival in Germany.

The Steiner Log Church setting adds a distinctive historical dimension to the concert experience. Built in 1937, the structure remains one of the few surviving Steiner churches in Oregon and is noted for its handcrafted log architecture and preserved rustic character.

Organizers note that seating is limited and advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. for the 3 p.m. performance and 4:30 p.m. for the 5 p.m. concert, giving visitors time to take in the historic setting.

Parking is limited on site, with additional parking available along Barlow Trail Road, and carpooling is encouraged.

The church is not wheelchair accessible due to its historic structure.

Additional details and ticket information are available online at BachCantataChoir.org.