Edward McCue (EM) In addition to presenting formal concerts, how is the Boulder Bach Festival introducing people to Bach and his music?

Dan Seger (DS) Under the umbrella of ”Bach in the Community,” the Festival interacts with listeners and performers of all ages to bring Bach out of the concert hall and into their daily activities.

For example, on 12 February at 2pm, at the Canyon Auditorium at the Boulder Public Library, is “Kids for Bach,” where young music students, kindergarten through twelfth grade, will have stretched themselves by preparing a challenging work by Bach and then presenting it publically. Every year area music teachers are instrumental to the success of this event because of the guidance they give each of their participating keyboard, string and vocal students in raising their personal level of performance. As a result, Kids for Bach is less of a competition, and more of an opportunity for teachers, students and their families to interact with each other, share their collective pride in having achieved new musical milestones, and increase their familiarity with Bach’s music.

On 1 March, starting at 2:30pm at the Canyon Auditorium at the Boulder Public Library, “Bach for Kids” will feature Rick Erickson and other Festival Artists interacting with young musicians on important aspects of Baroque performance practice, such as phrasing, improvisation and composition. At the end of the afternoon, at around 4:30pm, the kids will demonstrate what they’ve learned to each other and, we hope, an appreciative audience.

Throughout the Festival Week of 27 February through 4 March, Festival Artists will also be appearing in unconventional venues, like restaurants and coffee houses, to present short concerts of Bach’s music and to promote the ongoing Festival events. Our intent is to meet community members who might already know a little about Bach but who aren’t aware of the Boulder Bach Festival’s year-round activities.

EM What’s new on the horizon for Bach in the Community?

DS Rick Erickson, the Board and I are looking forward to enriching the Kids for Bach and Bach for Kids experiences by inviting teachers to a conversation about how we can better help them achieve their goals. Also, next year we’re hoping to expand the involvement of our Artist Faculty in all of the Bach in the Community activities so that, in particular, the many talented high school wind players in Boulder will also have a chance to learn more about Baroque music. And then, when I dream of the future, I imagine a summer institute in Baroque Performance strengthening Boulder’s reputation as a destination for Early Music.