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Moravian Music Foundation

Preserving, Sharing, and Celebrating Moravian Musical Culture

History of
Moravian Music Festivals
in North America

Past Moravian Music Festivals: date, location, festival director, MMF staff, festival chair(s)               

  1. June 26-July 2, 1950: Bethlehem, PA: Moravian College for Women, Central Moravian Church. Thor Johnson, conductor; Walter A. Schrempel, General Chairman
  2. June 21-27, 1954: Bethlehem, PA: Moravian College for Women, Central Moravian Church. Thor Johnson, conductor; Walter A. Schrempel, General Chairman.
  3. June 20-26. 1955:     Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College; Thor Johnson, conductor; Donald McCorkle, staff, Clemens Sandresky, General Chairman
  4. June 24-30, 1957: Bethlehem, PA: Moravian College, Central Moravian Church.  Thor Johnson, conductor; Donald McCorkle, MMF Director; The Rev. Dr. Raymond S. Haupert, General Chairman
  5. June 22-28, 1959: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. Thor Johnson, conductor; Donald McCorkle, MMF Director. H. Harold and Elizabeth Vogler, General Chairmen
  6. June 22-25, 1961: Tuscarawas County, OH: Dover High School; Sharon Moravian Church, Tuscarawas; John Heckwelder Moravian Church, Gnadenhutten; Schoenbrunn State Park, New Philadelphia.  Thor Johnson, conductor; Donald McCorkle, MMF Director. The Rev. Richard E. Michel and Tom R. Scheffer, Co-Chairmen.
  7. June 14-21, 1964: Warwick Union High School, Lititz, PA; Nazareth Moravian Church, Nazareth, PA; Central Moravian Church, Bethlehem, PA. Thor Johnson, conductor; Marilyn Gombosi, MMF Assistant Director. Elmer L. Mack, General Chairman
  8. June 12-19, 1966: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. Thor Johnson, conductor; Ewald Nolte, MMF Director. R. Arthur Spaugh, General Chairman.
  9. June 16-22, 1969: New York, NY: Manhattan: First Moravian Church; Brick Presbyterian Church; The Riverside Church; Staten Island: Susan Wagner High School.  Thor Johnson, conductor; Ewald Nolte, MMF Director. Edward and Dorothy Rondthaler, General Chairmen. Thor Johnson
  10. June 11-18, 1972: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. Thor Johnson, conductor; Ewald Nolte, MMF Director. Mr. and Mrs. Allen S. Goslen, General Chairmen.
  11. June 19-23, 1974: De Pere, WI: St. Norbert’s College. Thor Johnson, conductor; Karl Kroeger, MMF Director. Mr. Henry C. Weinlick, General Chairman.
  12. June 20-27, 1976: Bethlehem, PA: Moravian College, Central Moravian Church.  Richard Schantz and Jeffrey Reynolds, conductors; Karl Kroeger, MMF Director. Robert P. Snyder and Joyce Pharo, Co-Chairmen.
  13. June 18-25, 1978: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. John Nelson, Jeffrey Reynolds, Sam Fort, Jr., conductors; Karl Kroeger, MMF Director. Sallie Greenfield, Festival Chairman.
  14. June 17-21, 1981: Waukesha, WI: Carroll College. David Crosby and Jeffrey Reynolds, conductors; James Boeringer, MMF Director. Barbara J. Strauss, Festival Chairman.
  15. June 17-24, 1984: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. Thomas Dunn and Jeffrey Reynolds, conductors; James Boeringer, MMF Director. Carol and I. B. Southerland, III, Festival Co-Chairmen.
  16. June 28-July 3, 1987: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: University of Alberta, All Saints Cathedral. Richard Schantz and Jeffrey Reynolds, conductors; Karoly Köpe, MMF Director. The Rev. R. E. Voelker, Chairman.
  17. June 17-23, 1990: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College. Karoly Köpe, Conductor; James Basta and Robert Clark, Band Directors; Randy Kohlenberg, Trombone Choir Director; Karoly Kope, MMF Director. Mallie B. Graham, Chairperson
  18. June 22-28, 1992: Bethlehem, PA: Moravian College, Central Moravian Church.  Richard Schantz and Jeffrey Reynolds, conductors; E. Allen Schultz, MMF Executive Director, Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director of Research and Programs. Theodore F. Hartmann and Martha Schrempel, Festival Co-Chairs.
  19. June 16-22, 1996: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College.  David Lewis Crosby, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director; James Basta and Robert Clark, Band; Erik Salzwedel, Trombone Choir and Brass Ensemble. Chris and Gerrie Fulk, General Chairs.
  20. June 19-26. 1999:  Millersville, PA:  Millersville University.  John V. Sinclair, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director. Jan Stein and Marian L. Shatto, Festival Co-Chairs.
  21. June 8-14, 2003: Winston-Salem, NC: Salem College and Winston-Salem State University. John V. Sinclair, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director; James Basta and Robert Clark, Band Directors; Donna Rothrock, Trombone Choir Director. Jim and Roberta Pettit, Festival Co-Chairs.
  22. July 2-8, 2006: Columbus, OH: Capital University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary. John V. Sinclair, conductor, Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director. Donald Kemmerer, Band Director; J. Michael Allsen, Trombone Choir Director. Columbus Bach Ensemble. David Blum, Festival Chair.
  23. July 19-25, 2009: Belmont, NC: Belmont Abbey College. John V. Sinclair, conductor, Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director. Jeff Whitsett, Band Director. Donna Rothrock, Trombone Choir. Paddy Wigney, Festival Chair.
  24. July 14-20, 2013: Bethlehem, PA: Central Moravian Church and Moravian College. John V. Sinclair, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director. Allen Frank, Band Director; Don Kemmerer, Trombone Choir; Jan Harke, Handbells; Myra Jones, Children’s Program. Rebecca Kleintop Lepore, Local Chair.
  25. July 23 – 29, 2017: Winston-Salem, NC: Home Moravian Church and Salem College and Winston-Salem State University. John V. Sinclair, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director. Chris Wormald and Allen Frank, Concert Band Director and Asst. Director; Deborah Rice, Handbell Director; Donna Rothrock, Trombone Choir; Anne Saxon and Beth Juran, Children’s Music. Amanda Moody-Schumpert, Local Chair

26th Festival – July 18 – 24, 2021; PART 1: NOTE: Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Festival was divided into 2 parts – an online/onsite hybrid festival – with digital content, remote connectivity, recorded and livestreamed music //
26th Festival – July, 2022; PART 2: Shorter, in-person event, focusing on performance. Bethlehem, PA: Central Moravian Church and Moravian College. John V. Sinclair, conductor; Nola Reed Knouse, MMF Director; Allen Frank, Band Director; Don Kemmerer, Trombone Choir; Jan Harke, Handbells; Myra Jones and Sarah Hriniak, Children’s Program. Henry Naisby, Local Chair.
2021-22 Festival