Bach Festival
Chair
Nancy Shao
Co-chair
Natalia Gubenko
Region V Chair
Julie Nakamura
SCJBF General Chair
Pamela Worcester
Branch Festival Student Application: SCJBF.ORG
(More Instructions on how to register will be given in future MTAC-OCC newsletters)
Deadline: February 22, 2025, 11:59pm PT
Bach Festival
Saddleback College in Mission Viejo
(NEW LOCATION)
March 15, 2025
FESTIVAL INFORMATION
MTAC OCC participates in the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, which is a project to encourage the study of the music of J.S. Bach. Branch Festivals are held annually, from which outstanding students are chosen to perform in the Regional Festivals and possibly the Complete Works Audition finals round. Open to all keyboard students. (Organ, strings, winds and voice applicants, please refer to scjbf.org for separate festival information.) There are no age categories, and no limit on the number of student entries per teacher. The top 50% of students will be selected as medal winners, who will be eligible to compete in the SCJBF Regionals Festival (date and format TBD); and if warranted, honorable mentions at the discretion of the judges.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE (application and payment of fees): Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 11:59pm
Application submission via scjbf.org (including repertoire entry)
- $25 SCJBF site-usage fee
Application fees
- $45 per student
Applicants who are unable to pick up the results packet after completion of the festival and wish to have the results mailed, please pay the postage fee of $9.65 (USPS flat-rate priority mail). The online link for postage payments will open at a later date, and instructions will be sent out via e-blast.
Results will be made available as soon as possible after completion of the festival
The SCJBF Bach Region V Festival information will be announced at a later time.
REPERTOIRE INFORMATION
- Single movements or selections from a multi-movement work are accepted.
- It is not necessary to enter with a complete work from the Complete Works Audition (CWA) List for the Bach Branch Festival unless you want to be eligible for the third and final round (CWA). If selected to go to the Regionals, the exact same work (movements) must be performed at the Regional Festival. Teachers interested in the 2025 CWA list may find this on the SCJBF website at scjbf.org.
Please contact Julie Nakamura if you have any Regional Festival questions.
- https://scjbf.org/rules-guidelines/
- Teachers should not enter students in the Bach Festival who are performing the following works:
- Works from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook, BWV Anh. 113–132 Students who are performing works from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook or by other Baroque composers should enter the MTAC-OCC Baroque Festival instead. Students may play in either the Baroque or the Bach Festival, but NOT BOTH.
- Transcriptions other than those made by J.S. Bach from his own works.
- Works by other Baroque composers.
- Further information available here: https://scjbf.org/rules-guidelines/
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
- Before registering your students via SCJBF, check the box that says, “I have read and I accept the rules that apply to students and teachers entering the Southern California junior Bach Festival.” Pay the one-time $25 site-usage fee.
- Update your teacher info if necessary (such as a new email address).
- To enter specific movements or selections of a multi-movement work, enter the piece in the “category” and then make the selection under “movement.”
For Questions: please email Nancy at nshao327@gmaiI.com
CATEGORIES
Category I – Short Preludes and Fugues
Category II – Various Dance Movements
Category III – Inventions and Sinfonias
Category IV – Duets
Category V – Well-Tempered Clavier, Bk. I
Category VI – Well-Tempered Clavier, Bk. II
Category VII – French Suites
Category VIII – English Suites
Category IX – Partitas / French Overture
Category X – Short Various Works
Category XI – Longer Various Works
Category XII – Toccatas
Category XIII – Goldberg Variations
Category XIV – Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue
Category XV – Italian Concerto, BWV 971
Category XVI – Sonatas
Category XXIII – Clavier Concerti
For Questions: please email Nancy at nshao327@gmaiI.com