Old and New Collide at Carmel Bach Festival with “The Nature of Sound”

By Caroline Chen from Classical Voice San Francisco

‘Soul’ Between the Notes

Grete Pedersen on Historical Performance

By Thomas May from Early Music America

Listening to the Landscape

As Artistic Director of the Carmel Bach Festival, Grete Pedersen is shaping a programme where sound, place and perspective intersect, placing Bach alongside contemporary voices.

By Juliette Barber from International Arts Manager

Press Releases

Press Release

2026 Season Announcement

The full announcement of the 2027 Festival season.

Download the release (DOCX)
Press Release

2026 Chamber Season Announcement

The chamber concert programs for the 2027 season.

Download the release (DOCX)
Press Release

Announcing the 88th Season of the Carmel Bach Festival, “Dialogues”

Seven Main Concert programs, seven Chamber Concerts and the debut of the Studio 105 series, for a season built around musical conversations across time.

Read the release

In The Press

Jul 23, 2026

The Bach Festival goes beyond beautiful music and delves into challenging material

A reflection on the Festival’s “Banned and Blacklisted” program, and on music that unsettles as much as it soothes.

Read at Monterey County NOW (opens in a new tab)
Jul 15, 2026

Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: Bach Festival off to a fast start

The Herald’s longtime classical columnist checks in on the 89th season’s opening days.

Read at Monterey Herald (opens in a new tab)
Jul 20, 2026

The Old and the New Mingle at the Carmel Bach Festival

A review of Andrew Megill’s pair of programs — Bach cantatas at Sunset Center, then a candlelit “Nature’s Poet” evening at the Carmel Mission.

Read at San Francisco Classical Voice (opens in a new tab)
Classical Voice North America Jul 20, 2026

By Any Name, Bach Fest Keeps Currency of J.S. in Blend of Other Voices

A national critic spends three days across four concerts and finds Bach thriving alongside Negrón, Asheim, Martin and Hindemith.

Read at Classical Voice North America (opens in a new tab)
Jul 14, 2026

Grete Pedersen Brings Zest to The Seasons at Carmel Bach Festival

Opening weekend, reviewed: Haydn interleaved with Asheim’s Muohta, and a Purcell-to-Bach arc the critic calls stunning in its impact.

Read at San Francisco Classical Voice (opens in a new tab)
Jul 14, 2026

Old and New Collide at Carmel Bach Festival with “The Nature of Sound”

Grete Pedersen on the 89th season’s theme, her hybrid orchestra of gut and modern strings, and why she invites audiences to come with open ears.

Read at San Francisco Classical Voice (opens in a new tab)
Jul 9, 2026

Angélica Negrón is rethinking the way composers, musicians and listeners relate to sound

A cover-story profile of the 2026 featured composer, from field recordings on a Puerto Rican beach to the lullaby behind Lo Infinito.

Read at Monterey County NOW (opens in a new tab)
Jul 9, 2026

How a visual artist in 20th-century Big Sur turned his affection for Bach into an art form unto itself

Emile Norman — “the man in the purple hat” — attended the Festival for six decades. His Big Sur house, and his legacy here, get their due.

Read at Monterey County NOW (opens in a new tab)
Jul 8, 2026

Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: Bach Festival to explore the nature of sound

A season preview of the 89th Festival and its “nature of sound” theme.

Read at Monterey Herald (opens in a new tab)
Jun 26, 2026

The Carmel Bach Festival’s 89th season explores the nature of sound

Grete Pedersen and Nathan Lutz join KAZU’s Green Room to unpack the season’s theme. Includes the full audio interview.

Read at KAZU 90.3 (NPR) (opens in a new tab)
May 12, 2026

25 best classical music festivals in USA and Canada 2026

BBC Music Magazine names the Carmel Bach Festival among the continent’s 25 best — “the nature of sound,” Bluegrass and Brazil included.

Read at BBC Music Magazine (opens in a new tab)