Northwest hosting annual Bach Family Festival, guest artist Oct. 25

Northwest hosting annual Bach Family Festival, guest artist Oct. 25

Northwest Missouri State University will bring the music of one of the great composers and his family to life as young pianists in grades four through 12 gather for the annual Bach Family Festival this month.

The festival begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building with a welcome and masterclass. Students will perform in an honors recital at 4 p.m., followed by an awards presentation.

This year's festival also features guest harpsichordist Dr. Ian Pritchard, who will perform a program of Bach's music and his influences at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Charles Johnson Theater. Pritchard, who will visit music history courses at Northwest on Oct. 26, is a full-time faculty member at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music and was elected in 2015 as an associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

All performances are free and open to the public and will be available to stream at https://vimeo.com/event/4237259.

Festival invites students of all levels

The festival aims to encourage piano students to study works by J.S. Bach and members of his extended family through solo and collaborative works for piano, harpsichord or organ. Students can also gain feedback from Northwest faculty members.

Applications, which include video auditions, are due Sunday, Oct. 4. Registration is $65 per student.

Dr. Anthony Olson, a Northwest professor of music and coordinator of keyboard studies, created the festival, which is now in its third year.

"I was looking for a way to provide something for young students that they could have a goal or a prize," Olson said. "There are festivals like that around, but I wanted something that was themed, something that would be unique."

First and second place finishers receive cash prizes, and students who receive honorable mentions will be awarded $50. Participating high school juniors and seniors can also earn a piano scholarship to Northwest, based on their performance and difficulty of the composition.

The festival welcomes students at a range of skill levels, allowing more advanced students to reflect on their growth while giving younger musicians examples to work toward.

"I've had a number of students who are returning several times, and just watching their progress as they tackle more difficult music and also improve their skills at the same time," Olson said. "They're playing the harder pieces, and they're playing way better."

In January, Northwest will host its Fourth Annual Sonatina-Sonata Festival, and applications are due Jan. 10, 2027. To learn more about the Bach Family Festival and the Sonatina-Sonata Festival, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/finearts/music/piano-festivals/.