One of Kalamazoo’s oldest music organizations, the Kalamazoo Bach festival was founded by the Professor of Music at Kalamazoo College, Henry Overley, in 1946. He wanted to bring the town together to experience the joy of making music and create something inspiring, in particular, to recreate the instrumental music and choral of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. Participants include visiting artists, local professional musicians, college and high school students, and even amateur performers. Since its first season in 1947, the Festival has grown and expanded due to the active involvement of the community. The Festival’s repertoire has expanded to include not only the music by Bach and his contemporaries, but also nineteenth and twentieth century composers. Their mission is “to bring together people of all ages and diverse backgrounds and provide them with an opportunity to experience the joy of making music by performing some of the best works in the choral repertoire.”