In this week's episode, I share a story about an educator and conductor's experience moving through the Oregon Bach Festival, which is considered to be one of the country's most prestigious summer music festivals.
Joseph Kemper, Oregon native and a celebrated educator teaching in the Orange County Public Schools district in Florida, had his entire life changed when he attended an Oregon Bach Festival concert at the age of 12. That year, his brother Keenan Kemper worked with Dr. Anton Armstrong and performed Robert Ray's Gospel Mass in OBF's Youth Choral Academy. Joseph was so inspired after attending that he joined the first year he was eligible.
Twelve years and many roles later, he is still a part of the Oregon Bach Festival family and will get to sing one of my all-time favorite pieces (Mahler's Symphony No. 2) with OBF Choir and Orchestra.
To hear the complete story about Kemper's journey in the Oregon Bach Festival in this week's episode of Sing to Inspire, click the audio player above.
#SingToInspire Performance of the Week
Mahler Symphony No. 2 - V. Im Tempo des Scherzos (Excerpt)
The New York Philharmonic and the Westminster Choir
Barbara Hendricks, soprano
Christa Ludwig, mezzo-soprano
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
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