Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival

Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival We like to say “Bach is just the beginning” to share our deep appreciation of the breadth of work influenced by the musical inventions of Bach.

At the intersection of harmony, humanity, and nature, the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival gathers world-class artists and inquisitive audiences to celebrate the life and joy of great music. Nestled in beautiful Harrisonburg, VA on native Manahoac land in the Shenandoah Valley, SVBF prioritizes equity, justice, and environmental sustainability in our work through inclusive educational initiatives,

meaningful programming, and green practices. We are a program of Eastern Mennonite University and are proud to share the university’s commitment to peacebuilding, social justice, cross-cultural engagement, and sustainability in the arts. Every year our week-long summer festival presents vibrant performances by local artists, the Shenandoah Valley Chamber Orchestra, and the Festival Choir. Listeners can attend large and small performances of orchestra and chamber music, family and kids events, poetry readings, music talks, and local bands. Our immersive educational initiatives invite young musicians and aspiring arts administrators from all over the country to participate in our fellowship programs and learn historically informed performance practices in our Baroque Workshop. Attendees can also take advantage of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley through a number of local activities such as hiking, mountain biking, cavern tours, wineries and breweries, museums, and immersive musical experiences in our parks and nature preserves.

Join us this morning for our Leipzig service modeled after Bach's own church services in Leipzig, Germany! This service ...
06/15/2025

Join us this morning for our Leipzig service modeled after Bach's own church services in Leipzig, Germany! This service will feature Bach's cantata "Du Hirte Israel, höre" BWV 104 under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Bergey. Along with the SVBF orchestra and choir, tenor soloist Jordan Davidson, and bass soloist Shannon Kiser, this concert will include special music from the Shenandoah Valley-based all-female trio After Jack. 🎻

Admission is free, so bring all your friends and family to this wonderful, culminative SVBF concert!

The Leipzig Service is sponsored by the Linda Heatwole Bland Bach Festival Endowment and Sidney and Linda Heatwole Bland.

Our second Festival Concert will take place at 7:30pm TONIGHT! 🎶 Together, we will journey through works by J.S. Bach an...
06/14/2025

Our second Festival Concert will take place at 7:30pm TONIGHT! 🎶 Together, we will journey through works by J.S. Bach and Brahms with the SVBF Orchestra and SVBF Community Choir. The concert will also feature soprano soloist Christine Glick Fairfield and baritone soloist David Newman!

🎟️ Tickets are “pay-what-you-will” with $10, $25, and $40 options. College students may attend these events for FREE with valid a student ID at the door and do not need a ticket.

Festival Concert II is sponsored by House of Oak & Sofas. David Newman’s appearance with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra is made possible by a contribution by Edward Jones - Kathy Armentrout & Ken Surber.

Come join the participants of the Virginia Baroque Academy Workshop as they present chamber works from 17th- and 18th- c...
06/14/2025

Come join the participants of the Virginia Baroque Academy Workshop as they present chamber works from 17th- and 18th- century instrumental and vocal repertoire! The concert will be held in the Martin Chapel in Eastern Mennonite Seminary (11:00am) and is FREE admission for all. 🤩

TONIGHT: Join us for our first Festival Concert of the weekend! With Daniel Myssyk as principal conductor, the SVBF Orch...
06/13/2025

TONIGHT: Join us for our first Festival Concert of the weekend! With Daniel Myssyk as principal conductor, the SVBF Orchestra will perform works by Jessie Montgomery, J.S. Bach, Gustav Mahler, Claude Debussy, and Aaron Copland. The concert will also feature baritone soloist David Newman. Tickets are “pay-what-you-will” with $10, $25, and $40 options.

Festival Concert I is sponsored by Ron King & Carolyn Grasse. David Newman’s appearance with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra is made possible by a contribution by Edward Jones - Kathy Armentrout & Ken Surber.

In a few hours, we will explore "My Favorite Things" for the fifth and final Noon Concert of festival week. SVBF musicia...
06/13/2025

In a few hours, we will explore "My Favorite Things" for the fifth and final Noon Concert of festival week. SVBF musicians will perform a selection of their favorite chamber pieces, featuring a special performance from our 2025 "Rising Star" Hillary Arimoto! Again, these noon concerts are free admission and a wonderful opportunity to hear live music midday here in Harrisonburg.

This Noon Concert is sponsored by the E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
Diane Phoenix-Neal is sponsored by Marianne Halterman, and Chandra Cervantes is sponsored by David & Mary Wick. A very big thank you to our sponsors!

TONIGHT: Join us for our Virginia Baroque Academy Faculty Concert! This concert of "17th Century Survival and Restoratio...
06/12/2025

TONIGHT: Join us for our Virginia Baroque Academy Faculty Concert! This concert of "17th Century Survival and Restoration" will be an absolute Baroque treat.

Somehow we are already gearing up for our Thursday Noon Concert🤯. Time flies when you are having fun- and experiencing s...
06/12/2025

Somehow we are already gearing up for our Thursday Noon Concert🤯. Time flies when you are having fun- and experiencing such beautiful music! Today we traverse "Familiar Roads" with our SVBF artistic director David Berry and SVBF string quartets including Jacob Roege, Wanchi Huang, Celia Daggy, Kelley Mikkelsen, Audrey Pride, Violaine Michel, Thomas Stevens, and Paige Riggs. See you at noon!🎶

This Noon Concert is sponsored by an anonymous friend, and Jacob Roege is sponsored by Grayson Sless & David Lane. Thank you sponsors!

Come journey with us!
06/11/2025

Come journey with us!

This week is the 33rd Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival that celebrates classical music.

We have arrived at our Wednesday noon concert! This concert of "New Paths" features new compositions, one of them being ...
06/11/2025

We have arrived at our Wednesday noon concert! This concert of "New Paths" features new compositions, one of them being the world premiere of the Blue Ridge Suite by award-winning composer Scott Wheeler. Head on over to Asbury United Methodist Church to watch our beloved SVBF musicians perform new works today!

This noon concert is sponsored by Bill Polhill. The Blue Ridge Suite is sponsored by Don Albright, and violist Diane Phoenix-Neal is sponsored by Marianne Halterman. Thank you to our sponsors!

Rock Bach is nearly upon us⚡️ Our first "Rock Bach @ Pale Fire" event will be TONIGHT from 7:00-9:00pm. Admission will b...
06/10/2025

Rock Bach is nearly upon us⚡️ Our first "Rock Bach @ Pale Fire" event will be TONIGHT from 7:00-9:00pm. Admission will be free, and the music will be rocking! Join us for a laid-back evening featuring Shenandoah Valley alt-country rock band Dogwood Tales and local artist Thaddeus Jackson.

Rock Bach is generously sponsored by A M Yoder & Co, Atlantic Union Bank, Green Hill Solar, LD&B Insurance and Financial Services, MSL Consulting, Partners Excavating Company, The Little Grill, and Virginia Golf Course Reviews.

Come experience the "Organ" trail with us at our Tuesday Noon Concert! Today, keyboardists Marvin Mills and Bradley Lehm...
06/10/2025

Come experience the "Organ" trail with us at our Tuesday Noon Concert! Today, keyboardists Marvin Mills and Bradley Lehman will perform works by Buxtehude, Bach, Dupré, and Litaize. This concert also features violinist Amy Glick and cellist Paige Riggs.

This Noon Concert is sponsored by the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, and Amy Glick is sponsored by LaDene King & Gretchen Nyce.

TODAY: You can find the 2025 SVBF Opening Concert: Beginning the Journey at Asbury United Methodist Church at 12:00pm! B...
06/09/2025

TODAY: You can find the 2025 SVBF Opening Concert: Beginning the Journey at Asbury United Methodist Church at 12:00pm! Baritone soloist David Newman and keyboardist Marvin Mills will perform the song cycle Winterreise by Franz Schubert. Each noon concert is FREE and does not require a ticket. Come enjoy some wonderful midday music!

This Noon Concert is sponsored by the E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
David Newman is sponsored by Edward Jones - Kathy Armentrout & Ken Surber.

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1200 Park Road
Harrisonburg, VA
22802

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The Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival is devoted to promoting an appreciation and understanding of the music of Bach and a featured composer, country, era or people. The festival takes place on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Three featured concerts with orchestra, soloists, and choir; six chamber music concerts; a Leipzig Service; and open rehearsals infuse the Valley with unequaled musical richness. Additional offerings include internships, youth programs, Road Scholar (Elderhostel), and the Virginia Baroque Performance Academy. The Festival Orchestra, with its fine professional musicians from all over the country, produces vibrant performances. Membership in the Festival Choir, a volunteer ensemble, is open to the public and allows vocalists, both amateur and professional, to sing the most celebrated works of the orchestral-choral repertoire. The quality of the performances is first-rate. The Festival, widely recognized for its artistic excellence, has been named the “jewel in Harrisonburg’s crown” by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.