The Peoria Bach Festival celebrates the music, life, and faith of one of history's greatest composers, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). It has been held annually during the first full week of June since 2003. Organized and hosted by Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, Illinois, it is a collaborative effort featuring musicians from Bradley University, Central Illinois, and the surrounding regions. Not only does it showcase Peoria's own musicians, but seeks to encourage and disciple a new generation of musicians while at the same time attracting national and international talent. Trinity's attractive Gothic architecture and reverberant acoustics combined with its historical and religious roots provide a perfect setting for this celebration of Bach's music and faith.
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The Peoria Bach Festival is funded primarily by individual donors, but requires additional assistance from local businesses and the community in order to remain in operation. The Peoria Bach Festival has received grants from the Trinity Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council through the Community Foundation of Illinois.
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The Peoria Bach Festival is funded primarily by individual donors, but requires additional assistance from local businesses and the community in order to remain in operation. The Peoria Bach Festival has received grants from the Trinity Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council through the Community Foundation of Illinois.
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John JostDr. John Jost, Artistic Director, is professor emeritus of music at Bradley University where he directed the Bradley Chorale, Community Chorus, and Chamber Singers, and taught conducting from 1989 until his retirement in 2018. He received his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees from Stanford University. Before joining the Bradley faculty he directed ensembles and taught in California, New York, and Haiti where for several decades he directed a summer music camp for Haitian youth. He has held both principal viola and principal second violin positions in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, has served as president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, is co-founder and artistic director of the Peoria Bach Festival, and currently directs the new Peoria-area chamber choir Lumière. He has won awards for teaching and service from Bradley University, the American Choral Directors Association, the Haitian Ministry of Culture, and the Haitian Episcopal Church.
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Peter WykertPeter Wykert, Managing Director, is the Cantor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Peoria. He has served as music director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, IL and as a music intern at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, IL. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Concordia University Chicago. As Cantor he plans worship services, directs ensembles, serves as primary organist, oversees the Trinity Concert Series, and serves as the managing director of the Peoria Bach Festival. In the community, he accompanies the Peoria-area chamber choir, Lumière, as an organist, accompanies ensembles and musicians at Concordia Lutheran School, and performs concerts at the Lutheran Hillside Village.
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Barbara Meissner
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Barb Meissner chaired the Concert Committee at Trinity. She was involved in the Peoria Bach Festival from it’s inception through 2019. Barb graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in music education. She taught elementary music in Valparaiso, Indiana and Peoria District 150. She later returned to school and received a certificate in computer programming from ICC. She then worked at Foster & Gallagher and later at CEFCU. Barb enjoyed working each year with Dr. Martin Dicke and Dr. John Jost, and most recently with Cantor Peter Wykert. We at the Peoria Bach Festival thank Barb for her dedication and support.
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Martin Dicke
Dr. Martin Dicke, co-founder, is currently serving as a missionary in Papau, New Guinea with his wife Marie. We at the Peoria Bach Festival wish them all the best and thank Martin for his vision and work to begin the Peoria Bach Festival with Dr. John Jost.