Junior Bach Festival

Now in its 63rd year, the Junior Bach Festival is a highly regarded local institution that presents a popular, annual concert series in venues throughout the Bay Area around the time of Bach’s birthday (March 21). The most musically compelling and technically polished young Festival performers are carefully selected through professionally judged auditions. The audition process itself can be a valuable learning experience for any developing musician. By preparing for a Junior Bach audition, students learn how to practice in a productive manner, discover memorization techniques, study elements of performance practice, and above all, have the opportunity to explore with their music teacher the genius of Bach’s compositional language. The Festival also supports the study and appreciation of Bach’s music through an annual Workshop. With the audience, Bach experts examine topics such as baroque style, ornamentation, or ensemble playing. In recent years, the Festival has collaborated with local music organizations to offer students an opportunity during the Workshop to try out a period keyboard, stringed instrument, or wind instrument like those from Bach’s time. Throughout the years, many Junior Bach alumni have pursued musical careers both internationally and locally as soloists, chamber musicians, orchestral performers, respected teachers, musicologists, music librarians, and arts managers. Festival enthusiasts hope that Junior Bach has contributed to their musical development, and applaud their success.