Bach Festival Previews June Program

Adair McConnell, minister of music at St. Stephens United Church of Christ in Harrisonburg, will give two talks highlighting some of the works to be performed at the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival coming up June 10-17, 2007.

Adair McConnellAdair McConnell

The first lecture will be held 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the Detwiler Auditorium of Heritage Haven at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC). The second will take place 2:30 p.m. May 29 at the same location.

The first presentation will focus on music of composers other than Bach, specifically on three Romantic era works: both Chopin piano concertos and the Brahms “Requiem.”

Internationally-acclaimed Canadian pianist Janina Fialkowska will perform both concertos during the festival, and the Festival Chorus and Orchestra will perform the celebrated Requiem, with soloists Sharla Nafziger, soprano, and Thomas Jones, bass.

Artistic director, Kenneth Nafziger, will conduct all three of the festival