Mary Kay Adams Archives

Charlottesville-based musician and educator David McCormick leads Bach Festival into 25th year

August 29, 2016Last updated September 5, 2016 by Walt Wiltschek

When David McCormick was five years old, his mother took him to the opera “La Bohéme.” He fell asleep. Unlike most 5-year-olds, though, he was upset when he woke up

Harrisonburg native and internationally renowned countertenor headlines 24th annual Bach Festival

June 2, 2016Last updated July 8, 2016 by Walt Wiltschek

Nathan Medley, a Harrisonburg High School graduate who has earned international recognition, will headline this year’s Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). The June 12-19 festival will

Bach Festival, in its 23rd year, draws appreciative crowd for diverse classical repertoire

May 21, 2015Last updated January 6, 2016 by Lauren Jefferson

In his 23rd year as artistic director and conductor of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, Kenneth J. Nafziger just laughs when asked if he is most looking forward to conducting

Bach Festival pairs seasoned performers with youthful, rising stars like 14-year-old Emma Resmini

June 11, 2014Last updated June 17, 2014 by Paul Souder

Flutist Emma Resmini’s YouTube channel, loaded with 83 classical performances from her recital repertoire since age six, has garnered 2.63 million views from around the world. If each view represents

Acclaimed artists and musical diversity characterize 22nd Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival

June 4, 2014Last updated September 17, 2014 by David Yoder

Ludwig van Beethoven said that his fellow German composer Johann Sebastian Bach was “the immortal god of harmony.” It has now been over two centuries since Bach’s death, but as

Annual Bach festival set to return to EMU for 22nd installment

May 16, 2014Last updated June 6, 2014 by Katie King

Mary Kay Adams considers classical music more than a pleasant pastime. “It adds a beauty and an enjoyment [to life]. … It touches the deepest part of our soul in

Farmer-Doctor Is Bach Festival’s No. 1 Cheerleader

June 11, 2013Last updated June 24, 2013 by Steve Shenk

How did a poor farm boy, longtime pediatrician, and master gardener get to be the No. 1 cheerleader for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival? “It’s simple,” says Ed Comer, MD.

Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, June 9-16, Shows Bach – and Verdi and Britten – Live On

May 30, 2013Last updated September 22, 2014 by Steve Shenk

The music of Johann Sebastian Bach never dies, as will be obvious to those experiencing his music at the 21st Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. For more than two decades, the

Young Artists’ Program Gives Gifted Place To Play

May 2, 2013Last updated May 22, 2013 by Samantha Cole

Young virtuosos in the Valley aren’t shy about striking the right notes. “The bar keeps being raised,” says Mary Kay Adams, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. On

Bach Festival Receives Grant from Carpenter Foundation

March 5, 2013Last updated September 22, 2014 by Mike Zucconi

A grant of $12,000 from the E. Rhodes and Leon B. Carpenter Foundation will help bring five gifted performers to the 21st annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, June 9-16, 2013.

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