History
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park
The Bach Festival Society was founded in 1935 at Rollins College to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth by presenting the composer’s orchestral and choral music to the public for its “enlightenment, education, pleasure, and enjoyment.” The Society decided early on to operate in partnership with Rollins College while still maintaining its status as a fully independent non-profit organization.
Mrs. Isabelle Sprague-Smith, a former New York artist and school principal, was the president and driving force behind the Bach Festival from 1935 until her death in 1950. At Mrs. Sprague-Smith’s death, the future of the Bach Festival was uncertain. Rollins President Hugh McKean asked John M. Tiedtke, the treasurer of Rollins College, a music lover, and an astute businessman, to fill the opening and he agreed. Mr. Tiedtke served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees until his death in December 2004. Under his leadership, the Bach Festival Society expanded its programming to include two additional choral programs beyond the annual Festival, top-tier visiting soloists and ensembles, and community events in Winter Park.
Following Mr. Tiedtke’s death, the Society began a period of modernization and growth. Today, the Society maintains an all-volunteer choir of over 180 singers from throughout Central Florida and a professional orchestra of nearly 50 members. We present nearly 30 ticketed performances, dozens of in-school educational programs, a high school choral festival, and several community concerts; we produce recordings, run two community choirs (a youth choir and the Young at Heart Chorale), and form high-level artistic partnerships reaching approximately 50,000 people annually.
The Bach Festival Society is the third-oldest continuously operating Bach Festival in the United States and Central Florida’s longest-running performing arts organization. We maintain a strong partnership with Rollins College and provide high-quality performance and learning opportunities to students, faculty, and staff.
The Bach Festival Society celebrated its 75th Annual Festival in 2010. Download and view a PDF of the commemorative book celebrating this anniversary and the history of the organization here: