Founder Carl Anton Wirth
Youth Auditions, September 20, 2026
Chapel in the Pines, 18580 Cherokee Drive, Twain Harte, California
by appointment only
The Sonora Bach Festival Youth Auditions are open to music students under 18 in Tuolumne and surrounding counties. Students prepare and perform a memorized piece of repertoire from the Baroque or Classical Period in front of a panel of judges, in hopes of performing on the Youth Finalists Concert. Auditions are the afternoon of Sunday, September 28th at Chapel in the Pines in Twain Harte.
Bach’s Big Bang — October 4 | 2–5 p.m.
Featuring Lucky CuZn Brass Band and Opera Modesto | Tickets: FREE
Indigeny Reserve, 14679 Summers Lane, Sonora, California
To celebrate the Bach Festival’s 50th anniversary, we invite you to enjoy a once in lifetime free concert in the idyllic setting of Indigeny Reserve. The Bach’s Big Bang Concert will feature both the Lucky CuZn Brass Band and members of the Opera Modesto. They will perform in alternating sets from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. The operatic performers will include Salvatore Atti, tenor, Bianca Orsi, soprano, and Diego Bustamante, piano. Please see bios and pictures below. The Lucky CuZn Brass band is made up primarily of local (mostly) music teachers. Their cleverly chosen name, Lucky CuZn comes from copper (Cu) combining with zinc (Zn) to form brass! A link to one of their previous performances is below. It will be a rousing starter event to commemorate the Bach Festival’s 50th year!! And it’s FREE!!
Opera Modesto bios
Salvatore Atti, tenor, has recently moved to northern California from Boston where he resided for the last decade; originating in Buffalo, New York. Mr. Atti is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, a Master’s degree in Opera, and a Post-Master’s Certificate. During his time at the Conservatory Mr. Atti performed in 11 mainstage operas. Most notable performances include Rodolfo in La Boheme, Character 4 in Transformations, and Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. He has sung with many opera companies in the Boston area to acclaimed reviews. The Boston globe wrote about his most recent performance of Faust with Boston Opera Collaborative, noting that, “Salvatore Atti was radiant in his cavatina “Salut! demeure chaste et pure”. He has also sung with NEMPAC Opera project, Boston Bel Canto Opera, Opera Hub, and Intermezzo Chamber Opera. Mr. Atti has sung internationally with the St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir based in Buffalo, New York; visiting England, Sweden, Germany, France, and Italy. His most notable performance abroad was as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Flagstaff in Fidenza program. This performance was in honor of Verdi’s bicentennial, celebrated in his hometown of Busseto, Italy, where Mr. Atti came to be endearingly known as “Piccolo Pavarotti”. Salvatore made his New York debut in 2015 with New Rochelle Opera in the role of Don Jose in Carmen. During his time in Boston he was actively involved with the North End area, performing for several festivals and prominent figures of the area. He has also performed with several choirs in the Boston area as a featured soloist including Old North Choir, the Fine Arts Chorale, and the MetroWest Choral Artists. Mr. Atti took second place in Marvin Hamlisch’s final competition of the Buffalo Star search.
Bianca Orsi, soprano, began studying Opera and Classical music at the age of 13 in her hometown in Northern California. She has become a renowned soprano, performing in Opera’s, concerts, and many events all through the United States and México. Her most recent standout performance as Adina in L’elisir d’amore at Opera Modesto and Despina in Cosi fan tutte at Mendocino Music Festival received much praise and a standing ovation. Bianca performed in the role of Zamira, in the acclaimed Professional World Premiere opera Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant with Modesto Opera. She has performed at Opera Theatre, St. Louis in Gianni Schicchi and as Adele in scenes from Die Fledermaus directed by James Robinson. She made her San Jose Opera debut as the second witch in Dido and Aeneas. As a soloist in the International Opera Festival of Morelia, ISOFOM, in México; she debuted her role as Nanetta in Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff. Bianca also sang Violetta from La Traviata, and Valentina from La Marchenera in concert performances. Bianca received great acclaim for her portrayal of La Princesse in L’enfant et les sortileges and Rosalia in the Musical Theater production of Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. Ms. Orsi has also performed the role of Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera at the The Stockton Symphony Concert Series. Bianca has sung in master classes and training programs with Patricia Racette, Morris Robinson, Ana Maria Martinez, Warren Jones, and Ruth Ann Swenson.
Diego Bustamante, piano, from Chico, California, has been an active performer throughout Northern California, appearing as a solo artist, chamber musician, collaborative pianist, and concerto soloist. Appearances include performing the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor with the North State Symphony and the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 1 with the UOP Symphony Orchestra, as well as multiple chamber music concerts in Chico and Redding, Califoria. In 2024, Diego received his Master’s degree in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College (WCC) in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where he studied with Dr. James Goldsworthy. Having a special interest in opera, he held a graduate assistantship as a rehearsal pianist for WCC’s opera program. In 2021, Diego received his Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in Stockton, where he studied with Professor Frank Wiens and Dr. Sonia Leong. Before beginning his college career, Diego studied with the late and beloved Dr. Robert Bowman in Chico. Currently a Modesto resident, he works as a collaborative pianist for Opera Modesto, Modesto Junior College, Downey High School, and as a freelancer. Aside from his passion for music, he is also an avid birder and overall nature enthusiast.
Youth Concert — October 11 at 3 p.m.
Chapel in the Pines, 18580 Cherokee Drive, Twain Harte, California
Tickets $10 (children under 18 are free)
Twenty youth finalists will perform their pieces on Sunday, October 11 at 3pm. Please come support our local youth scholarship winners. Each finalist will receive a $100 award, along with the opportunity to perform in this special concert. This concert will be held at Chapel in the Pines in Twain Harte.
Locals’ Concert — October 18 at 3 p.m.
Chapel in the Pines, 18580 Cherokee Drive, Twain Harte, California
Tickets $TBD (children under 18 are free)
Support your friends, family and community as our own highly talented, local instrumentalists and vocalists present an exciting afternoon of chamber music of the Baroque and classical periods. Lovely music will be performed by people you know. An afternoon of classical music by Handel, Mendelssohn, Telemann, Giocomelli, Sanz, Johnson and more, featuring fine local talent including John MacAllister, Mark Seiver, Bryna Anders, Brook Moes, Victoria Hare, Diane Wright, Joy Willow, Abigail Cover, Ellora Maggs, Daniel Godsil, Kayla Ireland and Sandra Betti.
House Concert — October 25 | 2–5 p.m.
Featuring The Two Guitars | Tickets $TBD
Indigeny Reserve, 14679 Summers Lane, Sonora, California
Travis Silvers completed his undergraduate Guitar Performance concentration with David Feingold and his Music History and Literature concentration with Dr. Mary Terey-Smith at Western Washington University. He completed his graduate studies in Guitar Performance with James Reid at the Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho. Travis has also studied guitar with M. Hilliard Wilson at The Rosewood Guitar in Seattle, Washington and with Sharon Isbin at the Aspen School & Festival of Music. Travis has attended and performed in masterclasses for such artists as Ricardo Cobo, Ana Vidovic, Paul O’Dette, David Starobin and George Crumb and has concertized in Europe, Canada and the United States as a soloist, as a member of Collegium Musicum, an early music ensemble, and as a member of ¡Tritarra!. He is also a co-founder of the biennial Central Valley Guitar Festival ¡Guitarraganza!, a current member of Duo Sonik with colleague Guy Powell, and the coordinator of the bi-annual Central Valley Guitar Invitational concerts. Travis is currently full-time music faculty of World Music & Guitar at Modesto Junior College, where he also is a member of the First Year Experience College Skills teaching cohort.
Guy Powell received his BM from CSU Sacramento and his MM from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His principal teachers included Richard Savino, David Tannenbaum, and Marc Teicholz. Mr. Powell has performed all over the United States as soloist, ensemble, opera, and musical theatre performing, and participated in such events as the Guitarraganza Festival, Guitar Foundation of America, Portland Guitar Festival, Cal Arts Festival, La Guitarra Festival, and the California Bach Festival. Mr. Powell has also served as a co-director for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Guitarraganza festival, as well as serving as the festival’s director for the solo competition. In addition to regular solo performances, Mr. Powell was also a member of the chamber ensemble Tritarra, a guitar trio specializing in adapting more eclectic genres of music for the concert stage, and recently has formed a new ensemble, Duo Sonik, with fellow guitarist Travis Silvers. In the Spring of 2022, Mr. Powell was elected as a faculty member to the Delta chapter of the society of Pi Kappa Lambda for excellence in teaching. Mr. Powell has taught at Columbia Community College and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at University of the Pacific, San Joaquin Delta College, and Modesto Junior College.