The 17th Moravian Music Festival and Seminar was held on the campus of Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, June 17-23, 1990. Károly Köpe was Music Director and Conductor, assisted by David Crosby, guest conductor; James Basta, Randy Kohlenburg, Robert Clark, and Samuel Fort, Jr., were band directors. Guest artists were Elizabeth Pruett, soprano; Sue Arnold, mezzo soprano; Arthur Alex Helsabeck, baritone; and Curtis Watson, bass baritone,
Public performances included …
- June 17, a lovefeast in Home Moravian Church celebrating the church year, with special music by the Hussite Bell Ringers;
- June 18, 5:15 p.m., a concert of chamber music for flutes and strings
- June 18, 8:00 p.m., a concert of music sung by Moravian soloists Ellen Denham, Alex Helsabeck, Geraldine McIlroy, Curtis Watson, Pauline Watson, Caroline Woodwell, and guests Sue Arnold and Elizabeth Pruett, with Martha Schrempel and Margaret Kolb, pianists
- Tuesday, June 19, 5:15 p.m., a program of country gospel music with George Hamilton IV
- Tuesday, June 18, 8:00 p.m., the Salem Band
- Wednesday, June 20, 8:00 p.m., in the Stevens Center, the Thor Johnson Memorial Concert, featuring the Festival chorus, soloists, and orchestra
- Thursday, June 21, 5:15 p.m., the Honduran Quintet, Moravian musicians from Honduras, with Sam Gray
- Thursday, June 21, 8:00 p.m., the Moramus Chorale in concert, with David Crosby, guest conductor
- Friday, June 22, 8:00 p.m., the Festival Chorus and Orchestra, at the Stevens Center, featuring Latrobe’s The Dawn of Glory (first performed at the 1969 Festival in New York)
- Saturday, June 23, 10:00 a.m., the Festival Bands and Trombone Choir
Seminar faculty and topics were …
- Susan Bates, Organ Repertoire and Worship Service Playing
- Meribeth Bunch, Exploration in Sound and Enjoying Sound
- John Giesler, The New Moravian Hymnal
- Michael Hawn, Working with Children’s Choirs
- William McIver, Voice Building for Choir Directors and Choral Singers
- Donna Rothrock, Life and Ideas of Bernard J. Pfohl
- James V. Salzwedel, Bells, Brass, Bach, and Gaither
- Charles E. Stevens, The Music of Christian Ignatius Latrobe and Moravian Keyboard Music
- Mervin C. Weidner, Worship Through Music
- Henry L. Williams, Moravian Hymnody
I was serving as a missionary in Honduras at that time, but was able to attend the Festival as “Stage Manager” (working along with Conductor Károly Köpe and Directors Jim Basta and Robert Clark to ensure that everything was in place and that the choir, orchestra, soloists and band members were taken care of). I brought a small group from Honduras – “Prana” – with me and we were invited to present a mini-concert to raise awareness of “Moravian music” with a Central American flavor.
– Bishop Sam Gray
The Festival was organized and supervised by an active committee, with Mallie Beroth Graham, chair; James Bates and Erik Salzwedel, seminar co-chairs; Jane Shore, secretary; Ronald Hendrix, treasurer; and many more volunteers!
