The Shenandoah Valley is home to an abundance
of extraordinarily talented musicians, many of
whom will take the stage for the 28th annual
Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, to be held in
Harrisonburg June 14-21, 2020. Among the local
talent taking the stage are a Grammy winner,
international competition winners, and professors
at prestigious music schools.
The centerpiece of this year’s Festival is Ein
deutsches Requiem of Johannes Brahms, featuring
soprano Susan Gouthro and baritone Kevin
McMillan, a James Madison University professor
and winner of a Grammy award, a Gramophone
award, and numerous Juno award nominations.
Another JMU professor and winner of the
International Society of Bassists Solo Competition,
Sam Suggs will perform his recently composed
Concerto after Haydn with the Festival Orchestra.
As always, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach will
be well represented, including an all-Bach opening
28
concert featuring Eastern Mennonite University
alum, harpsichordist, and University of Michigan
professor Joseph Gascho performing Bach’s Italian
Concerto.
The Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival is a weeklong
event devoted to promoting an appreciation
and understanding of the music of Bach and
an additional featured composer, country, era,
people, or concept. Concerts take place on the
campus of Eastern Mennonite University and at
Asbury United Methodist Church in downtown
Harrisonburg.
Three featured concerts with orchestra, soloists,
and choir; six chamber music concerts; a Leipzig
Service; and open rehearsals infuse the Valley with
unequaled musical richness. The Festival, widely
recognized for its artistic excellence, has been
named the “jewel in Harrisonburg’s crown” by the
Virginia Commission for the Arts.
FESTIVAL CONCERTS 1, 2 & 3
Location: Lehman Auditorium, EMU Campus
Tickets: $28 – Adults, $24 – Seniors (65+), $15 Youth (22 & under)
Multi-concert discounts and group rates available. All tickets $2 higher at the door.
Purchase at www.svbachfestival.org or call the EMU Box Office (540) 432-4582
Festival Concert 1 – Sunday, June 14 at 3:00pm
This opening concert features Artistic Director
Kenneth Nafziger leading the Festival Orchestra
and soloists in an all-Bach concert. Soprano Susan
Gouthro is featured in Bach’s Cantata 52, Falsche
Welt, dir trau ich nicht. Harpsichordist Joseph
Gascho will perform Bach’s Italian Concerto.
Members of the orchestra are featured in Bach’s
Suite for Orchestra No. 1 and Brandenburg
Concerto No. 1. A pre-concert talk by Artistic
Director Kenneth Nafziger and soloist Joseph
Gascho begins at 2:15pm.
Festival Concert 2 – Friday, June 19 at 7:30pm
This concert highlights some of the Shenandoah
Valley’s brightest stars. Eastern Mennonite
University professor David Berry will perform
the Schubert/Liszt Wanderer Fantasy, James
Madison University professor Sam Suggs will
perform his own double bass concert, and SVBF
Principal Trombonist Jay Crone from Virginia
Tech will perform a concerto by Nino Rota.
Rounding out the program is a new composition
by Gwyneth Walker, Earth and Sky, performed by
Musica Harmonia. A pre-concert talk by Artistic
Director Kenneth Nafziger and soloist Sam Suggs
begins at 6:45pm.
Festival Concert 3 – Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm
The centerpiece of this year’s Festival is Ein
deutsches Requiem of Johannes Brahms, featuring
the Festival Choir, Festival Orchestra, soprano
Susan Gouthro, and Grammy winning baritone
Kevin McMillan. This concert opens with an
intimate performance of Benjamin Britten’s
Lachrymae, featuring violist Amadi Azikiwe.
A pre-concert talk by Artistic Director Kenneth
Nafziger and soloist Amadi Azikiwe begins at
6:45pm.
/www.svbachfestival.org