Two names in particular have earnt St. Thomas's Church widespread fame. One of them is Johann Sebastian Bach, a former cantor of the church, who was later buried there. The other is the reformer Martin Luther, who preached here on Whitsun in 1539.

Bach's long tenure and St. Thomas's choir
St. Thomas's Church is known far and wide as the home of St. Thomas's choir – one of the best-known church choirs in Germany. The choir's cantor, Johann Sebastian Bach, also brought fame to the late-Gothic hall church. The great composer worked there from 1723 until his death in 1750 and is buried under a bronze memorial plate in the chancel. St. Thomas's choir, which dates back to 1212, sing every weekend at the church service. The statue of Bach outside the church is also a popular attraction. Martin Luther, the famous reformer, preached here on Whitsun in 1539.

The Museum at the Mendelssohn House is devoted to the memory of Felix Mendelssohn, who was kapellmeister of the Gewandhaus. The university's Musical Instrument Museum, the Museum of Arts and Crafts and the Museum of Ethnology can all be found at the Grassi Museum complex on Johannisplatz. The Museum of Fine Arts presents a comprehensive collection of European art from the 15th to the 20th century in a spectacular new building.

Leipzig's international reputation as a city of music is inextricably linked with Johann Sebastian Bach and with the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which also plays for productions at Leipzig Opera House and with St. Thomas's Choir at St. Thomas's Church. The opera house has very close associations with Richard Wagner, who was born in Leipzig. Great musicians such as Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and others also contributed to the flourishing of the city's music and opera. Leipzig also has many contemporary comedy shows, theatres and jazz bars.