Co-President's Message

July 5th, 2021

Dear friends and supporters of the festival,

In 1981,  a small committed group of musicians with great humor yearned for something that had been missing:  a summer festival for classical music in the Lake Chelan Valley.  Good friends and pianists Cora Hartley and Kathryn Castrodale felt the Wenatchee Apple Blossom community choir could rise to the challenge of a Bach Cantata.  They were joined by soprano Sharon Lamar presenting the Bach Coffee Cantata trio and the minister of the Lake Chelan Methodist church Fred Reardon who dressed as Mr. Bach himself.  That first offering included a weekend concert with a “Bach’s” lunch.  

The second year, Cora invited Beth Jensen, our current executive director, to play the Bach Sonata in E Minor for flute with Kara Hunnicut on cello and Camille Peterson on piano.  The festival soon began to attract conductors and soloists from around the country and has since grown to a week-long festival including a full orchestra and chorus with multiple venues for chamber groups, soloists, and young musicians.  Local families have opened their homes and hearts to musicians who come back year after year to sing and play in this beautiful setting.

Covid-19 has created new opportunities for the Bach Fest. We have adjusted nimbly thanks to board members who are becoming experts at website design (Michelle Vaughn) and Facebook Live (Mary Jensen).  We had a full virtual concert line-up in 2020 of musicians who recorded performances in their own homes.  We have purchased high quality recording equipment to allow us to preserve live concerts for the future including this year’s presentation of Hansel and Gretel.  In 2021 our festival venues are all on-line or outside with contingency planning for smoke and heat.  Mostly, Covid-19 has led us to understand that despite enormous obstacles, there is a strong desire to perform and hear live music by musicians and audiences alike.

We sincerely thank all the business underwriters, sponsors and individual donors who have been so generous even through difficult financial times.  We would also like to acknowledge Kerry Travers, past-president for over ten years who is graciously passing on her knowledge and passion as we learn our new roles as presidents.

We dedicate this year’s festival to the memory of Robert V. Meyers of Manson Washington (6/15/33-1/15/21), avid trumpet player for 70 years, past Bach Fest president, and great supporter of the festival.

In the spirit of the founders, we hope you enjoy this year’s concerts and have a good laugh and perhaps a glass of wine with friends old and new. 

Louise Simons and Christine Wineberg

Co-Presidents of the 2021 Lake Chelan Bach Fest