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[Bethlehem, PA, July 12, 2022] – The 26th Moravian Music Festival will be live and in-person in Bethlehem, PA, from July 27 to July 30, offering eight free public concerts to be presented in the sanctuary of Central Moravian Church and in Foy Hall at Moravian University. The concerts in Central Moravian Church will also be live-streamed.
Wednesday – July 27, 2:00pm; New Moravian Music; new music of Moravian composers
Wednesday – July 27, 8:00pm; Singing the Song of Songs; Festival Opening Worship
Thursday – July 28, 2:00pm; The Rollins College Connection; a discussion, with music
Thursday – July 28, 7:30pm; Pipes & Pedals; Moravian organists and organ music
Friday – July 29, 2:00pm; Summer Serenades; smaller ensembles of Festival:
trombones, handbells, steel pan, chamber, etc.
Friday – July 29, 7:30pm; Jesus, Still Lead On; Festival Chorus & Orchestra
Saturday—July 30, 9:00am; ACTS youth musical
Saturday—July 30, 10:30am; Resounding Joy; Festival Concert Band
Information and details are at www.moravianmusicfestival.org/festival-concerts-2022/
The theme of this year’s festival is Jesus Still Lead On, a hymn text that reflects resilience and optimism as musicians emerge from the restrictions of the pandemic. Audiences attending live will be asked to remain masked and present their vaccination card for admittance, just as all the participating musicians have done and will do.
During festival week, singers and instrumentalists will rehearse and present a wide variety of Moravian music from the 18th century to the present day. They will be working with Festival Chorus and Orchestra Conductor Dr. John V. Sinclair, artistic director and conductor of the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Fla., and director of music at Rollins College, and Festival Concert Band Conductor Allen Frank, director of instrumental music at Liberty High School in Bethlehem and artist lecturer of tuba at Moravian University.
In addition to the Festival Chorus and Orchestra, and the Festival Concert Band, audiences will enjoy music by several smaller ensembles, like, trombone choir, steel pan ensemble, new worship ensemble, chamber ensembles, and handbell choir.
A reception will be held in the Christian Education Building on the Central Moravian campus following the Friday evening concert. The reception will honor Nola R. Knouse, director of the Moravian Music Foundation, and Gwyneth Michel, its assistant director, who are retiring in August.
Inspired by the rich treasure trove of music in the archives of the Moravian Church in America, the first Moravian Music Festival was held in 1950 in Bethlehem and led by American-born conductor Thor Johnson. Since then, the Moravians have held more than two dozen festivals in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Bethlehem.
Information provided to TVL by:
Bryan Hay
