Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
White Mountain Musical Arts: Bach Festival

Name:

White Mountain Musical Arts: Bach Festival

Location:

Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire, USA

Venues:

Christ Church, Episcopal, Main Street, North Conway
10^th Mountain Pavilion Building - Cranmore Mountain Resort, North Conway
First Church of Christ, Congregational - North Conway
Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center at Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, Maine (since 2010)

Years:

Since 1989 (Annual Festival)

Months:

August (on the weekend before Labor Day)

Artistic Director:

Clarence Snyder (1989-2000)
Floyd Whittier Corson, President
Nancy DuCette Farris, Vice President
Robert Lehmann (conductor, since 2008)

Ensembles:

V/A

Website:

White Mountain Musical Arts - Bach Festival

History:

The Bach Festival in the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire had its beginning at Christ Church, Episcopal in North Conway. In 1989 Dr. Clarence Snyder, organist at the Episcopal Church had a vision of establishing an annual musical event in the White Mountains which would feature the great instrumental and vocal works of J.S. Bach.

When Dr. Snyder retired as organist at Christ Church and moved out of the area in 2000, it became necessary to find a way to continue the Bach Festival as great interest on the part of the participating musicians and the general public was very evident. An ad hoc committee was established for the purpose of adopting a mission statement, writing Articles of Agreement & By Laws and acquiring a certified trade name. Successfully completing these tasks in 2001, the Bach Festival, under the newly certified trade name, White Mountain Musical Arts (WMMA), applied for and was granted a non-profit status in October 2002. The ad hoc committee became the Administrative Board of the White Mountain Musical Arts.

Professional musicians come from many states to participate in the Festival: New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire; many of whom have performed for several years with Festival. Records over the last three years indicate that persons attending the concerts have come from all the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Indiana and South Dakota.

At the present time, White Mountain Musical Arts sponsors the Annual Bach Festival and the Chamber Music Concert Series. The Bach Festival always is held the last full weekend in August. Click on Other Events for a listing of WMMA: Chamber Concerts.

Mission:

The expanded mission of the WMMA is to: “Exclusively bring public musical performances, primarily live performances of art music to the greater Mt. Washington Valley; and to provide opportunities for education in music through lectures & lecture-recitals / concerts.”

WMMA currently presents both the annual Bach Festival during the fourth weekend of August, and a Chamber Music Concert Series with a varied schedule throughout the year.

Recent Festivals:

22^nd Festival: Aug 22 & 27-29, 2010
23^rd Festival: Aug 26-28, 2011

24^th Festival: Aug 12 & 24-26, 2012
25^th Festival: Aug 23-25, 2013

Logo: