The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park is delighted to announce The Elizabeth and John Nagle Endowment for Soprano Soloists in honor of soprano Mary Wilson.

Long time Bach Festival Choir members Beth and Jack Nagle understand the enormous contribution a world class soloist brings to a choral work. Two years ago, they established an endowment to help ensure that the Bach Festival Society would always have the resources to engage the very best talent for those soloists and chose to name it in honor of bass-baritone Kevin Deas.

This year, they established a second endowment – The Elizabeth and John Nagle Endowment for Soprano Soloists in honor of soprano Mary Wilson. Mary has been delighting Bach audiences for many years. During this season’s A Classic Christmas, her power and versatility were reflected in her deeply moving performance of Silent Night, as well as her rousing rendition of Go Tell it on the Mountain, which nearly brought down the house. She is featured in this weekend’s performances of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

The two honorees have special significance for Beth and Jack. Jack noted in an essay to be published on the Society’s website next week that, “these two outstanding soloists bring our three decades of singing the world’s finest classical choral music full circle. Kevin Deas was the bass soloist when we sang what was for us a life changing performance of Brahms’ German Requiem in 1990. Mary Wilson is the soprano soloist as we sing our final Bach Festival Choir performances of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.”

Beth and Jack hope that their legacy will inspire others to “establish similar endowments for alto and tenor soloists, as well as essential members of the orchestra including its concertmaster or concertmistress and its first chair instrumentalists.”

The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park expresses deep appreciation to Beth and Jack Nagle for their generous gifts of their time, talent and treasure and extends heartfelt best wishes for their retirement.