My name is Kerry Travers and I am currently the Past President of the Lake Chelan
Bach Fest. Most of my contact with Bob Myers has been through my association with
Lake Chelan Bach Fest so that is what I would like to share with you today!
I joined the board 1995, served as secretary for many years and then as President for
10 years until October, 2020 when I was able to step down from that position. During
my time on the Bach Fest Board I saw incredible positive changes in the festival. This
year we are celebrating our 40th year and I firmly believe that without Bob’s influence
starting in the late 90’s and moving us into the 21st century that we would not be where
we are today. I believe that the festival is widely cherished and well known in the
community as the “cultural gem” it is today partially because of Bob Myers.
Shortly after I joined the board, we heard that there was a person, new to Chelan, who
had an interest in joining the BF Board who had managerial skills and interest in
Classical Music. Bach Fest had been organized with a board since the early 1980’s
and had been run with Beth Jensen serving as Executive Director and Fred Rarden as
President for many years and a small board of dedicated people. It had grown from a
weekend event of a Bach Cantata in 1981 to a week long festival with orchestral and
choral programs, noon concerts and a Young Musician’s Concert to show case local
young talent. Unfortunately, when I joined the board very few people in the Chelan
Valley knew about Bach Fest or cared about it. Bob worked to change that!
Bob joined the board around 1996 and soon took over from Thomas Carlton as
President. He lead the board as President for around 6 years with a firm hand and new
ideas. He immediately began to reorganize the board structure. He instigated the re-
writing of the by-laws and then worked to update a list of organizational responsibilities
for each officer, job, etc. He developed a TImeline which started in August as soon as
the festival ended for planning the next year. He and his wife Patty who also joined the
board shortly after Bob, encouraged many of their golfing friends to join the board. With
this new energetic group of friends they started soliciting local businesses for support by
placing ads in the program book. They organized a “Gala Event” for several years with
gourmet food and an auction to raise money for the festival. Together they helped to
put the festival on a firm financial footing. Bob and Patty also hosted one of the first
“Home Fund Raisers” at their beautiful home which eventually grew into one Lake
Chelan Bach Fest’s most popular fund raising events. The festival grew in size and
quality AND became a much looked forward to event in the Chelan Valley.
After his tenure as President, Bob shared his wisdom by serving as Past President for
several more years and finally left the board around 2012.
Bob also helped organize the effort to fund and build the Riverwalk Pavilion in 2000, a
venue on the banks of Lake Chelan for outside music performances and the location of
the Bach Fest’s Pops In the Park Concert. He realized that, when people come the
Lake Chelan in the summer, they aren’t interested in attending a concert in the dark,
cold PAC at the Chelan High School. They come to enjoy the wonderful outside
environment that Chelan provides. Together with other board members, they asked
Larry Hibbard to design a performing pier on the banks of Lake Chelan. They raised the
money, got the permits from the PUD and saw the project to completion in 2001.
The Lake Chelan Bach Fest would not be the festival it is today without the influence of
Bob Myers! Not only was Bob Myers an idea man who lead the board and helped
develop it into a “well oiled machine” and he helped put the festival on a firm financial
footing, but he also did whatever was needed at the time: he recruited talented people
to the board, he became the spokesman for the Lake Chelan Bach Fest, he moved
stands and chairs, he helped put up the acoustical panels before each concert at the
Riverwalk Pavilion; in addition to his hard work on the festival, he and Patty donated
each year to support the festival financially and fully funded our Principal Trumpet player
in the orchestra for years, Bob even stepped in to play trumpet in the Bach Fest
Orchestra when a 3rd or 4th trumpet was needed.
Bob Myers was a “Man for All Seasons” for the Lake Chelan Bach Fest and we will
forever be indebted to his leadership and support.
So, the next time you enjoy a Lake Chelan Bach Fest concert or just walk by the
Riverwalk Pavilion, be sure to say “Thank you Bob!!”
