At the intersection of harmony, humanity, and nature, the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival gathers internationally-recognized artists and inquisitive audiences to celebrate the life and joy of great music. We like to say “Bach is just the beginning” to share our deep appreciation of the breadth of work influenced by the musical inventions of Bach.

Nestled in beautiful Harrisonburg, VA on Indigenous Siouan, Algonquian and Haudenosaunee land in the Shenandoah Valley, our annual week-long summer festival presents vibrant performances on the Eastern Mennonite University campus and downtown by local artists, the Shenandoah Valley Chamber Orchestra, Baroque Academy Faculty, and Festival Choir. Listeners can attend large and small performances of orchestra and chamber music, family and kids events, poetry readings, music talks, and immersive musical experiences in our parks and nature preserves.

Our immersive educational initiatives strive to build a more equitable and inclusive future in the performing arts. Each year we bring young musicians and aspiring arts administrators together to participate in our Young Arts Leaders program and perform as Orchestra Fellows. Musicians of all ages and levels have the opportunity to learn historically informed performance practices in our Baroque Workshop with renowned early music faculty.

While you’re here, we invite you to explore Harrisonburg and take advantage of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley through vibrant local activities like hiking, mountain biking, cavern tours, wineries and breweries, and museums.

The Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival is a program of Eastern Mennonite University and we are proud to share the university’s commitment to peace-building, social justice, cross-cultural engagement, and sustainability in the arts.