Festival Stories: Caitlin Holsapple

This year marks one decade of my involvement with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival in some form or fashion, whether it has been working behind the scenes, singing in the choir, or both. A fact that—as I was writing this—became even more impressive to me when I realized that time accounts for almost a third of my life.

However, when I think about my time with the Festival, my mind always jumps to my very first season when I joined the Festival as an intern in 2014. I was finishing up my Sophomore year as a Music major at EMU when Mary Kay Adams approached me about interning for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival that summer. I had never heard of the Bach Festival before, but it sounded like an interesting opportunity and I didn’t have other summer plans, so I agreed. That summer was my first experience working with live music at such an intimate level and I was completely taken with the energy and talent that I saw on my home stage. It was a lot of work, but I loved every minute of it. So much so that I kept coming back year after year, even after I had graduated from EMU.

Little did I know that my experience as an intern all those years ago would open the door to a different facet of music and eventually lead into a career path. Since graduating from EMU I have found myself in a variety of arts administration roles, both in NYC and here in the Valley. Not only was Bach “just the beginning” for me, but it has been a musical home over the last ten years. I am thrilled to be back home and once again working with the Bach Festival, this time in a more professional capacity.

Caitlin Holsapple
SVBF Operations Manager

June 9, 2014
Pictured from left to right: Nathan Peters, Erin Hershey, Mary Kay Adams, Caitlin Holsapple, Chloe Raber