Leave Your Legacy

Many Carmel Bach Festival supporters have included us in their wills or with another type of legacy gift. Their foresight, and yours should you choose to join them, strengthens and helps ensure the future of the Festival.

We are especially grateful to you for a bequest, setting up a life income gift, or some other type of legacy gift. We’ll recognize your commitment by inviting you to join our Continuo Society. We recognize Continuo Society members in our publications, and with invitations to special events. Anonymity is always an option.

Susan and I decided to leave the Festival a bequest commitment through our estate because for us, the Festival is about relationships with people and the music.  I started as a volunteer chorus member in 1993, a few years after moving to the area.  At a chorus retreat I was invited to sing in the Chorale, our paid professional group.  I participated for five years, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to perform baroque at such a high level.  This coincided with and informed my music degree.

My most memorable performance was under Andrew Megill’s direction singing the Brahms Requiem, which was absolutely stunning.  Equally special are the 200 people with whom I spend four precious weeks every summer, including watching the young chorus grow and flourish.

Making my legacy gift was an easy decision – it’s important that we give back, not only for youth, but for all corners of the Festival. As I celebrate my 20th year with the Carmel Bach Festival, I know I am leaving an important legacy. - John and Susan Koza

Your legacy gift to the Festival will help us provide fresh musical contexts that spark the imagination, stimulate the mind, and enrich people's lives in multi-faceted ways. The vast majority of legacy gifts are made by bequest through a will or trust.

There are also life income gifts that provide you a steady stream of revenue, offer significant tax advantage, and ultimately benefit us.

Many types of assets, in addition to cash, can be used to make a legacy gift. We encourage you to work with your professional advisors and our staff experts to help you determine which type of legacy gift is best for you.

In addition, there are many types of legacy gifts you can easily make without incurring the services of your professional advisor.

All you need to do is fill out your provider’s paperwork for the following gifts:

IRA or pension plan, life insurance, stocks and bonds, savings / checking accounts, donor advised fund, or commercial annuity.

If you would like information about remembering Carmel Bach Festival with your legacy gift please contact

Olivia Colombo, Development Coordinator at olivia@bachfestival.org or (831) 624-1521

The Continuo Society acknowledges supporters who have made a legacy gift commitment to the Festival. Gifts of all sizes are welcome and ensure that we will sustain and celebrate the works, inspiration, and ongoing influence of J.S. Bach for future generations.

We honor Continuo Society members through:

Acknowledgment in Festival publications (unless you prefer to be anonymous)

Invitations to special events

If you have already made your legacy gift or are considering making a legacy gift, please let us know.

Contact Olivia Colombo, Development Coordinator at olivia@bachfestival.org or (831) 624-1521

THANK YOU to these Continuo Society members who are leaving a legacy gift to Carmel Bach Festival:

Peter Albano
Linda E. Anderson
Gail and James Andrews
Bob and Michele Axley
Lucerne Beal*
Dorothy L. Becker
Seto Bhalui*
Helen Breck
Jean L. Brenner
Susie and Stan Brusa
John W. and Jane F. Buffington
Bruce and Mary Jo Bryson
Stephen K. Cassidy
Dr. Gilbert and Marie Cleasby
Ms. Judith Colburn
Katharine Comstock
Mary Kay Crockett
Beverly Dekker-Davidson and Lawrence Davidson
Suzanne Woodard Dorrance
Cary J. Doyle
Mrs. Robert Doyle
Robert Allen Doyle
Stan and Gail Dryden
Susan W. DuCoeur
John Ehrman*
Stephen Eimer and Kevin Cartwright
Susan Ellinger
Keith B. and Virginia P. Evans Marital Trust*
Kent and Lyn Evans
Karen S. Faircloth

*deceased as of July 2019

Mr. and Mrs. John Garvey
Sandra and Richard Grimmer
Mr. and Mrs. John Gurley
Don and Carol Hilburn
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Huber
The Allyra Jameson Trust*
Ms. Carol R. Johnson
Steve and Irene Johnson
William H. Johnston, M.D.
Charles Grauling* and Nancy Jones
Deborah Juran
David B. Kennedy
Susan and John Koza
William and Mary Langenberg
Lucinda Lloyd
Joseph Marino, Jr.
Barbara McMahon
Drs. Knox and Carlotta Mellon
Sharon and Stan Meresman
Natalie Miller
Robert Montgomery and Susan Meister
Mrs. Robert H. Morris
Robert I. Mulford
Leslie Mulford
David and Julie Nee
The Nicholas Trust*
Laura and Brad Niebling
Dr. Beatrice Nold
Robert and Heidi con Pagenhardt
Betsey and Stephen Pearson
Drs. John and June Phillips

Richard and Joan Posthuma
Frank and Susan Raab
Shirley and Lee Rosen
Tim and Jane Sanders
Charles Schimmel
Richard Sherrill
Michael* and Eleanor Silbergh
Melanie and Bill Silva
Howard and Joan Sitton
Donald* and Victoria Slichter
Pamela D. Smith*
Gloria Souza
Ms. Natalie A. Stewart
Betsy and Robert Sullivan
Jeptha* and Elizabeth Wade*
Marilyn and Bill Timoney
Mike and Ellen Turbow
William Tyler
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wandke
Thomas Weikert
Jacqueline Wendland
Mrs. Dorothy H. Wheeler
Edie and Lamont Wiltsee
Ms. Bonnie Woodworth
Emily and Paul* Woudenberg
Mrs. Wesley Wright
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wunsch
Cyril and Jeanne Yansouni
John and Diane Young
Linda Zinn
Anonymous (2)