{"id":2262,"date":"2010-06-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-06-28T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.emu.edu\/blog\/news\/?p=2262"},"modified":"2010-06-28T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-06-28T04:00:00","slug":"concertgoers-pack-out-18th-annual-bach-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2010\/concertgoers-pack-out-18th-annual-bach-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Concertgoers Pack Out 18th Annual Bach Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

The near-capacity crowds that filled Lehman Auditorium were treated to the soaring harmonies that filled the air at the 18th annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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\"EMU
Versatile musician John McCutcheon combines his artistry with that of the Bach Festival orchestra at a June 13 concert that opened this year’s Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. (Photo by Mike Eberly) More photos from the Bach Festival<\/a><\/b><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

The festival featured the glorious music of prolific German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and other composers in three major festival concerts in EMU’s Lehman Auditorium and daily noon chamber music programs held in the sanctuary of Asbury United Methodist Church, downtown Harrisonburg. <\/p>\n

The rich and diverse program unfolded under the baton of EMU music professor Dr. Kenneth Nafziger<\/a>, artistic director and conductor of the weeklong event. <\/p>\n

John McCutcheon<\/h3>\n

The Bach Festival opened Sunday afternoon, June 13, with an unlikely – at first blush – blend of Baroque and folk – Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos” and the music of noted musician\/composer John McCutcheon<\/a>. <\/p>\n

McCutcheon performed nine songs, six of them with the Festival Orchestra. The set featured two songs with peace themes – “Forgive Us” and McCutcheon’s signature song, “Christmas in the Trenches.” <\/p>\n

Music inspired by peace<\/h3>\n

“Forgive Us” was inspired by the Amish school murders in Nickel Mines, Pa., while “Christmas in the Trenches” tells the story of the Christmas truce between British and German soldiers during World War I. <\/p>\n

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\"EMU
Violists Diane Phoenix-Neal and Karen Johnson of the Bach Festival Orchestra in a rigorous rehearsal session. (Photo by Jim Bishop) More photos from the Bach Festival<\/a><\/b><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Other selections included children’s songs, hammered dulcimer instrumentals and a closing medley that McCutcheon described as a “classical version of ‘Dueling Banjos.'” In it, McCutcheon on fiddle traded passages with the orchestra’s string section. <\/p>\n

McCutcheon told the audience that he was interested in classical music when he was growing up in Wisconsin. However, there was “absolutely no support” in his environment for pursuing that musical direction, so he went into folk music. <\/p>\n

Folk music is “the source of all music,” McCutcheon said, citing the work of such composers as Vaughn Williams, Bartok and Copland. <\/p>\n

Other composers honored <\/h3>\n

In addition to the music of Bach, this year’s festival presented works of several composers for whom 2010 is an anniversary year:<\/p>\n