The 19th Moravian Music Festival and Seminar was held June 16-22, 1996, on the campus of Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This Festival celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Johann Friedrich Peter (1746-1813), and the 40th anniversary of the Moravian Music Foundation (founded 1956). David Lewis Crosby was Festival Conductor and co-music director (with Nola Reed Knouse), and James A. Basta was Concert Band director, assisted by Robert Clark, leading the Chorale Band, and Erik Salzwedel leading the Trombone Choir.
The festival also honored the memory of Lorenz W. Heise (1902-1993), who attended each of the first 18 Moravian Music Festivals.
Festival soloists included sopranos Pamela Hicks and Ilona Kombrink, tenor Barry Busse, and bass-baritone Jan Opalach.
Seminars included …
- Lynda Alexander, Children’s Choir
- C. Daniel Crew and Nola Reed Knouse, Johann Friedrich Peter
- Sally Gant, Music in the Small Church
- Robah Ogburn, Moravian Bands
- David C. Partington, Psalm Singing
- Barbara J. Strauss, New Texts and Tunes in the 1995 Moravian Book of Worship
Public events included …
- Sunday, June 16, opening lovefeast in Home Moravian Church
- Monday, June 17, afternoon, woodwind chamber music mini-concert
- Monday, June 17, evening, “Moravian Anthem Sing”
- Tuesday, June 18, afternoon, the Festival soloists sing Moravian solos and duets
- Tuesday, June 18, evening, the Salem Band
- Wednesday, June 19, afternoon, a mini-concert celebrating the diversity of brass music, with many Moravian brass players and friends.
- Wednesday, June 19, evening, Festival chorus and orchestra concert at the Stevens Center; this concert included the premiere performance of anthems by Mark Biggam, Paul Moravec, and Nola Knouse, and the premiere of the Moravian Easter Overture for orchestra by David Lewis Crosby
- Thursday, June 20, afternoon, conversations with David Lewis Crosby and Nola Knouse
- Thursday, June 20, evening, the Moramus Chorale, presenting the reconstructed lovefeast ode from November 13, 1789
- Friday, June 21, afternoon, a mini-concert of music presented by area Moravian soloists
- Friday, June 21, evening, the Thor Johnson Memorial Concert at the Stevens Center, including the premiere performance of an anthem by Daron Hagen
- Saturday, June 22, morning, a concert by the Festival bands and trombone choir
This Festival was organized by a committee chaired by Christopher C. and Gerrie W. Fulk. Donald Armitage and Wayne Leupold were seminar chairmen; Lisa P. Boyles was festival secretary, and Richard Cartner was treasurer. As with every Festival, the assistance of many, many dedicated volunteers was cause for celebration – and the reason for the success of this Festival!