BACH BY BIKE ENSEMBLE
Winner of OPUS KLASSIK 2022 
The Bach by Bike Ensemble consists of the two Bach by Bike founders Mareike Neumann, violin, and Anna-Luise Oppelt, mezzosoprano. The cast varies and is expanded depending on the concert program. The two musicians studied together at the Music University of Detmold. Shortly after, they founded the project Bach by Bike, operating musical cycling tours in Germany, mostly along the places where Johann Sebastian Bach has lived.
The Bach by Bike Ensemble seeks to connect the (baroque) repertoire with today and the performance venue in a lively, creative and sustainable way. The Bach by Bike Ensemble’s innovative programs with local reference, the refreshing music on historical instruments and a sustainable concept for reaching the (often unusual) concert venue have already led the Bach by Bicycle Ensemble to renowned festivals and concert promoters.
In 2025, the ensemble will perform in Northeim with a specially designed musical weekend in cooperation with St. Sixti and VISION KIRCHENMUSIK. For the Bachfest Leipzig 2025, Bach by Bike will create a bicycle concert in which the ensemble will perform arias from Bach cantatas. Other engagements this season will take the ensemble to Weimar, Weißenfels, Lüneburg and Hanover, among others.
In September 2024, they performed as a chamber symphonic ensemble at the Beethovenfest Bonn. Anna-Luise Oppelt and Mareike Neumann designed a guided bicycle concert day for this purpose: music in a variety of ensembles, from Baroque to Beethoven to a world premiere for bicycle instruments that deals with nature and travel in nature.
On Pentecost 2024, Bach by Bike created a wandeling concert in the Bach- and Heinrich Schütz – city of Weißenfels on the occasion of the International Museum Day. In 2023, the ensemble made guest appearances at the Music Festival Potsdam-Sanssouci, the Bach Museum Leipzig and the Beethovenfest Bonn. In 2022, the ensemble was a guest in the Georgenkirche Eisenach, at the WESERFESTIVAL in Bremen Cathedral as well as in Bückeburg and Minden, at the MDR-Music Summer in Weimar and at the Köthen Bach Festival.
In 2022, Bach by Bike organized and conceived the project “Pleasant Wiederau”, in which the Bach cantata BWV 30.1 was performed as part of an excursion concert at the original location, supplemented by a re-performance of a cantata by Georg Philipp Telemann. The Bach by Bike Ensemble performed at the Kulturfeste Brandenburg in the atrium of the Friedenskirche Potsdam in 2021.
Bach by Bike has received several awards: in 2024 the RESONANZEN Concept Award for Music Education from VISION KIRCHENMUSIK and the Hanns-Lilje Foundation, in 2023 the Silver Award at the Amadeus International Music Award Salzburg; in 2022 the musicians received the first OPUS KLASSIK Innovation Award for Sustainability and in 2021 the international Music Cities Award in the category Best Use of Tourism to Drive Music.
Reel Beethoven by Bike 2024 at Beethovenfest Bonn
Live-stream Beethovenfest Bonn 2023
Live-stream concert MDR-Musiksommer, 22. Juli 2022
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Concerts 2026:
13. March 2026, 17 Uhr, Weißenfels
Rathaus Weißenfels: Horch! Welch ein süßes harmonisches Klingen: Salon culture of 18./19. century. Music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Elisabetta Gambarini, Georg Friedrich Händel, Louise Reichardt and Clara Schumann. Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – Mezzosoprano, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Helene Schütz – Harp
2. May 2026, 14 -18.30 Uhr, Bach by Bike in Bramsche
Musical cycling day with concert of Bach by Bike Ensemble “Journey with Bach”, St. Martin-Kirche, Bramsche. Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Jakob Gronemann – Organ
16. August 2026, Mühlhausen
“Kontrapunkte”, Concert in Cooperation with Ensemble Horizonte
Informations coming soon
23. August 2026, 18 Uhr, Weimarer Orgelsommer
“Journey with Bach – for he cannot be stopped”, Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Johannes Kleinjung – Organ. Herderkirche Weimar
Informations coming soon
20. September 2026, Northeim
“Kontrapunkte”, Concert in cooperation with Ensemble Horizonte
Informations coming soon
27. September 2026, Köthen
Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt -Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Helene Schütz – Harp.
Informations coming soon
18. Oktober 2026, 17 Uhr, Rietberg
“Journey with Bach – for he cannot be stopped”. Bach by Bike Ensemble. Klosterkirche Rietberg
Concerts 2025:
10. Mai 2025, 12 am:
Auftakt Musiklandpartie von Weißenfels nach Naumburg mit Bach by Bike. Concert at Heinrich-Schütz-Haus eith Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Jia Lim – Harpsichord/Organ. Cycling tour to Naumburg, Musikland Sachsen-Anhalt. Start at Heinrich-Schütz-Haus Weißenfels
31. May 2025, 11 am:
Marktmusik with Bach by Bike Ensemble. A life´s travel with Bach. Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Benjamin Dippel – Harpsichord/Organ. Start of cycling tours Kirchen, Klöster, Klänge in collaboration with VISION KIRCHENMUSIK, Musik an St. Sixti and Bach by Bike. RESONANZEN Concept award for music education by VISION KIRCHENMUSIK and Hanns-Lilje-Stiftung. St. Sixti Northeim Niedersachsen
1. June 2025, 18 pm:
Johann Sebastian Bach: Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen (BWV 43), Wer da gläubet und getauft wird (BWV 37), Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen („Himmelfahrts-oratorium“ BWV 11). Frieda Jolande Barck – Soprano, Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Stephan Gähler – Tenor, Daniel Dropulja – Bass, la festa musicale, Bach by Bike Ensemble, Benjamin Dippel – conductor. Final concert of Kirchen, Klöster, Klänge in collaboration with VISION KIRCHENMUSIK, Musik an St. Sixti and Bach by Bike. RESONANZEN Concept award for music education by VISION KIRCHENMUSIK and Hanns-Lilje-Stiftung. St. Sixti Northeim Niedersachsen
14. June 2025, 9 and 10 Uhr:
Bach by Bike at Bachfest Leipzig. Guided cycling tour and concerts with Bach by Bike Ensemble, Ton Koopman and Klaus Mertens at Auenkirche Markkleeberg and Kreuzkirche Störmthal.
21. August 2025, 7 pm:
Lüneburger Orgelsommer: Journey with Bach „weil er nicht auffzuhalten“ (“for he cannot be hold back”) at St. Johannis Lüneburg, Anna-Luise Oppelt, Alto, Mareike Neumann, Violin, KMD Ulf Wellner, Organ
24. August 2025, 12 am:
Musical cantata service for Bach by Bike in the North. Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin, Johannes Unger – Organ. St. Marien Lübeck
31. August 2025, 6 pm:
Weimarer Orgelsommer: Journey with Bach „weil er nicht auffzuhalten“ (for he cannot be hold back). Bach by Bike Ensemble and Johannes Kleinjung, Organ. Herderkirche Weimar
20. September 2025, 18.30 Uhr:
Concert in St. Thomas Hohenbostel. Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – Alto, Mareike Neumann – Violin with Christian Gläsker. Hohenbostel/Barsinghausen in Niedersachsen
SAVE THE DATE: 18. October 2025
Bach by Bike at Lehniner Sommermusiken (close to Berlin in Brandenburg)
SAVE THE DATE: 16. November 2025
Bach by Bike at Bachfest Munich, Ticket sale starts soon
Concert dates 2024:
Concert at Bach´s Day of Death
Sunday, July 28, 2024, 5 pm
Anna-Luise Oppelt, Alto
Mareike Neumann, Violin
Christoph Dittmar, Harpsichord
Kirche Divi Blasii Mühlhausen
We thank our supporters: Sparkassenkulturstiftung Hessen-Türingen
Beethoven by Bike
Sunday, September 15, 2024, from 12 pm
Gardenfeast at Castle Miel and guided cycling tours at the Beethovenfest Bonn
Bach by Bike Ensemble
Anna-Luise Oppelt Mezzosoprano & Concept
Mareike Neumann Violin/Baroqueviolin & Concept
Past concerts:
Pentecost Wandeling Concert in Weißenfels – Bach by Bike in Concert –
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 1-6 pm
Heinrich-Schütz-Haus Weißenfels u.a.
Fahrradkonzert (Cycling Concert) Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci
Sunday, June 18, 2023 9 am-7 pm
July 28, 2023, 7 pm
Concert at Day of Death of Bach: music by J. C. Bach and J. S. Bach.
Michaeliskirche Hannover
300 Years Bach in Leipzig – Bach by Bike Ensemble at the inner court of Bach-Archiv Leipzig:
Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 3 pm
Beethovenfest Bonn 2023
September 16, 2023 at 2 pm
Zeitenwende: Musikalische Fahrradtour. (Turning Point: musical cycling tour) Music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christoph Bach, Ursula Mamlok and Keiko Abe. Bach by Bike Ensemble: Anna-Luise Oppelt – mezzosoprano & concept, Mareike Neumann – violin & concept, Martina Styppa – violincello, Jie-Goo Lee – drums. Beethovenfest Bonn. Meetingpoint at Poppelsdorfer Schloss
Concert Köthen Bach Festival, September 3, 2022
Concert in Wiederau, September 10, 2022
Video: Johann Sebastian Bach:
From cantata BWV 30a “Angenehmes Wiederau, freue dich in deinen Auen!”: Nr. 5 Aria “Was die Seele kann ergötzen”
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Video: Live at Monatsery Nienburg/Köthen:
Augustin Reinhard Stricker: O! O tenero amor
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Vitae of the artists:
Anna-Luise Oppelt:
The mezzosoprano Anna-Luise Oppelt was born in Berlin, Germany and has studied voice since 2010 at the University of Music Franz Liszt in Weimar, Germany with Prof. Siegfried Gohritz. She achieved her bachelor´s degree in 2015 and her Master of Arts degree in 2017. Master classes with Ingeborg Danz, Christa Ludwig, Teresa Berganza, Anke Vondung, the Bach Academies with Helmuth Rilling and with Hans-Christoph Rademann add to her diverse training.
Anna-Luise Oppelt took part as a soloist in concerts of the Thuringia Bach Festival and the festival „Güldener Herbst“ Gotha. Anna-Luise Oppelt is booked for concerts in Germany and Europe, her large concert repertoire includes J. S. Bach´s passions, Magnificat and many cantatas, Mozart´s Requiem and several masses, Handel´s oratories and Saint-Saens´ Oratorio de Noel. She sang the alto part of Bach´s Christmas Oratorio with the Vocalconsort Berlin and the Ensemble Continuum directed by Nicolas Fink in Berlin. As an experienced interpreter of New Music, she performed the Solovoice in the German premiere of O. Golijovs cantata Oceana. In 2018 she sang the solo parts of a Bach cantata program at the Chamber Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic with the Karajan-Academy, followed by a scenic performance of St. John´s Passion at Radialsystem Berlin conducted by Marcus Creed in 2019. She has been a soloist of the Bach Academy of Bachwoche Stuttgart in 2020. In 2022 she sang the alto solopart with Musica Poetica in Bach´s Markuspassion in The Netherlands and at Thüringer Bachwochen, incl. a CD-production.
In opera, Anna-Luise Oppelt performed the part of the Third Lady in Mozart´s Magic Flute with Jena Philharmonic directed by Stefan Klingele, in the world premiere of the chamber opera Lucie by do Nascimento as the title role with Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha and as Wilhelmine in Der Vetter aus Dingsda by Künneke in Weimar, directed by Markus Frank. She performed in another premiere by do Nascimento, in Die Marmorpuppe as the Mother in Mon Ami Weimar. She performed Mrs. Peachum in Benjamin Brittens The Beggar´s Opera with the State Orchestra Eisenach. She performed as Moon Woman 2 in the world premiere of Andrew Norman´s A trip to the Moon with the Berlin Philharmonic directed by Sir Simon Rattle. In 2022, she performed parts of Wagner´s Götterdämmerung (Waltraute) and Massenets Werther (Charlotte) with Theater Werkmünchen. In spring 2022 she sang Lola in Pietro Mascagnis Cavalleria Rusticana with Opera Incognita Munich.
Mareike Neumann:
The violinist Mareike Neumann originally hails from Kronberg, in the Taunus low mountain range. She studied with Prof. Walter Forchert, Prof. Elisabeth Kufferath and Prof. Ulrike-Anima Mathé at the Music Universities in Frankfurt and Detmold.
Her keen interest in Baroque music led her to take Baroque violin as a minor under Prof. Petra Müllejans whilst studying in Frankfurt. She has since played in a variety of Baroque ensembles and orchestras, such as the Sweelinck-Barock-Orkest Amsterdam, the Main-Barock Orchester and the Kölner Akademie.
Since 2007 she has been a member of the Ensemble Horizonte in Detmold, and through this ensemble has been able to intensively pursue modern music and creative concert formats. She works with well-known composers and has taken part in countless premieres and radio recordings.
She has been on concert tours to many different countries, such as South Africa, Egypt, China, Japan, Korea, Columbia, USA, and to music festivals such as La Chaise-Dieu in France, the Gustav Mahler Festspielen in Toblach, the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, the Days of Macedonian Music in Skopje, and most recently the Nasimi Festival in Azerbaijan. Aside from orchestral engagements with the Philharmonischen Staatsorchester Hamburg, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Museumsorchester Frankfurt, since 2011 she has been a member of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn.
