The conductor and scholar Helmuth Rilling, who was one of the most notable interpreters of Bach, has passed away at the age of 92.

Born in Stuttgart in 1933, Rilling founded the Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart in his twenties, and eleven years later, he also founded its orchestral partner, the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart. With these groups, he undertook the immense project of recording all of Bach's sacred cantatas and choral works on modern instruments.

The project took several decades, culminating in 170 CDs containing than 1,000 individual works.

In 1970, Rilling co-founded the Oregon Bach Festival with University of Oregon professor Royce Saltzman; the project began as a modest summer workshop, but quickly became one of the world’s leading classical music festivals. Rilling served as its Artistic Director for more than four decades, retiring in 2013.

While he was best known for the works of Bach, Rilling also conducted later music, and in 2001, he received the GRAMMY Award for Best Choral Performance for Krzysztof Penderecki’s Credo, commissioned and premiered by Oregon Bach Festival.

He received many honors for his work, including Germany’s Bach Medal and the Herbert von Karajan Music Prize.

Our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

"Helmuth’s legacy is immeasurable," said Sabrina Madison-Cannon, Dean of the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. "Through his profound musicianship and deep humanity, he transformed Oregon Bach Festival and the City of Eugene into a beacon of artistic and educational excellence. His influence will continue to resonate through generations of musicians and audiences worldwide."