Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (OSL) has long been connected to Augustana and its community. Just a short walk from campus, the church will soon begin hosting the performances of the Augustana School of Music’s ensemble — the Augustana Bach Collegium.
Since its founding in Spring 2024, the Augustana Bach Collegium has performed three cantatas and three motets. This past spring, the collegium captured the hearts of its audience when performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. John Passion” at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
“Bach’s works are rarely performed here, and yet, they resonate deeply — especially in this community given Bach’s own Lutheran faith. Our concerts have drawn people of faith, music lovers and community members from all walks of life, which is incredibly encouraging,” said Visiting Professor of Music Dr. David Chin, who arrived at Augustana in Summer 2023 and established the Augustana Bach Collegium.
Chin, originally from Malaysia, began taking piano lessons at the age of nine and was the pianist at his home church when he was just 12 years old. From 2005 to 2019, Chin earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in music in the United States. During that same time, he also taught at three universities. But, it wasn’t until his final semester as a master’s degree student at Eastman School of Music that a professor introduced Chin to Bach’s sacred works.
“It was an awakening. There was no turning back,” Chin explained. “Bach’s music opened my eyes to a larger world of art, philosophy, theology and faith, and it continues to shape how I view life and music today.”
Now, Chin is passing his passion for the “cornerstone of Western music” onto others.
“Most students arrive at Augustana with very little knowledge of Bach — something that is true for many young people around the world. But, this is precisely what makes my work so rewarding,” Chin continued. “To be able to introduce Bach and his music to students who may never have encountered him before and to watch them discover his genius and depth for the first time, is one of my greatest joys as a teacher.”
Students, faculty and staff aren’t the only ones taking notice. Augustana alumni Dr. Greg ‘74 and Karen (Devick) Schultz ‘75 — longtime supporters of their alma mater — learned of Chin and the Bach Collegium through other Augustana supporters. The Schultzes said it was “a natural connection” that they couldn’t ignore.
Karen — a music major at Augustana who studied under the likes of Augustana Professors Emeriti Drs. Mary Helen Schmidt and J. Earl Lee — grew up surrounded by music. Karen’s mother was a church organist and even had a huge church organ in the basement of their home. Among her mom’s record albums was a huge collection — the “Mass in B Minor” — one of Bach’s greatest works. Her neighborhood piano teacher held a Bach piano recital with her students every year.
“I got the picture early on that Bach was someone special,” remembered Karen, whose parents are also Augustana alumni.
“The passion of Dr. Chin is just amazing,” said Greg, a biology and chemistry double major at Augustana who recently retired as a vascular surgeon. “He’s a world-class expert on Bach, and we’re blessed to have him in our community.”
“What a gift!” Karen chimed in.
A gift that the Schultzes wanted to share with the surrounding community and bring to their home church — the same church in which Karen and her parents were some of the first members, where she and Greg were married and their children grew up. Greg currently serves on the church’s council and sings in its choir.
And now, with support from the Schultzes, the Augustana Bach Collegium will perform its fall and spring events at OSL over the next four years, as well as provide internship opportunities for Augustana students at the church. The Schultzes, who are participants in Augustana’s Friendship Family Program, are also providing support for a part-time position within the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement.
“It’s an ideal partnership. We feel passionately about both institutions, so when this came up, it just made so much sense to us. This type of partnership just cements our common missions and allows us to grow together,” said Greg.
When asked about the partnership, Chin said he sees “tremendous potential.” After visiting the church’s Celebrate Center, he was struck by the size of the space and acoustics, which are well-suited for the repertoire the collegium performs.
“I’m eager to experience how Bach’s music will come alive in that sanctuary,” said Chin. “What could be more fitting than performing the cantatas of Bach — the ultimate Lutheran composer — within a Lutheran church, under the banner of a Lutheran university?”
When you come to a concert, get ready to engage deeply with Bach’s work. The concerts always begin with an informative lecture and the audience is invited to join in singing the chorales, which Chin said “creates a beautiful sense of shared experience.”
Along with the Augustana Choir led by Dr. Russell Svenningsen, the Augustana Bach Collegium will hold its fall concert at OSL on Sunday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. The collegium’s spring performance will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. — performing none other than the “Mass in B Minor.”
To learn more about the SoM’s vocal and instrumental studies ensembles, including the Augustana Bach Collegium, visit augie.edu/SoM.
To purchase tickets to the Oct. 5 concert, visit augie.edu/MusicTickets.