Oregon Bach Festival
oregon bach festival obf annual celebration work johann sebastian bach musical legacy held eugene oregon united state late june early july festival programming threefold present diverse slate concert guest artist recent year included nonbachrelated program garrison keillor bobby mcferrin frederica von stade yoyo maintains focus choralorchestral repertoire including commission premiere undertakes extensive educational activity including stangeland family youth choral academy directed conductor anton armstrong st olaf college wall street journal called obf one world’s leading music festival oregon bach festival donorsupported program university oregon activity festival concentrated eugene hult center performing art university oregon school music dance primarily beall hall festival founded german conductor helmuth rilling former president american choral director association royce saltzman informal series class concert university oregon late roster expanded include fullscale choralorchestral performance although originally inspired music bach festival quickly moved beyond strict boundary repertoire bach however remains centerpiece festival via helmuth rillings conducting master class lead student cantata mass passion choral work additionally festival frequently performs largest bach work full force example thanniversary year bach birth festival performed st john passion st matthew passion bminor mass six brandenburg concerto culminating appearance hollywood bowl success bach festival model structure led helmuth rilling create internationale bachakademie stuttgart several bach academy around world addition leadership helmuth rilling many musician developed longterm relationship obf conductor pianist jeffrey kahane performing festival year musicologist robert levin also frequent participant baroque specialist monica huggett appeared ensemble leader baritone thomas quasthoff made american debut obf returned several time since recent appearance also made midori sarah chang kronos quartet five brown variety classical star festival also host crossover popular act like garrison keillor savion glover pink martini royce saltzman retired replaced executive director john evans former bbc producer published benjamin britten scholar evans arrival festival expanded include concert throughout oregon including portland arlene schnitzer concert hall bend tower theatre recent season also included collaboration regional art organization including oregon shakespeare festival portland baroque orchestra eugene ballet festival also completed first endowment campaign raising million festival billed thanniversary gala year st included appearance thomas quasthoff pink martini bobby mcferrin robert levin yafei chuang portland baroque orchestra also featured bernstein celebration featuring residency jamie bernstein phyllis andy berwick donated million festival largest gift group history subsequently berwick hall christened first permanent home festival october festival commissioned cocommissioned presented premiere numerous musical work including felix mendelssohn uncle boston world premiere rediscovered manuscript stephen paulus symphony string world premiere arvo pärt litany world premiere osvaldo golijov oceana world premiere krzysztof penderecki credo world premiere tan dun water passion american premiere svendavid sandström messiah world premiere sir james macmillan european requiem world premiere kim andré arnesen falling mercy world premiere philip glass piano concerto regional premiere richard danielpour passion yeshua world premiere festival also released participated commercial recording since recording pendereckis credo winning grammy award best choral performance list bach festival oregon bach festival official website