history

green lake festival of music

How it all began...

Festival Founders (from left to right): Douglas Morris, Burton Kilbourne and Gerald Grout

Since its founding the Festival has brought the highest caliber artists from throughout the U.S. and abroad to its audiences, earning a reputation for high artistic standards.

1979

Founded in 1979 by Ripon College Music Professor Douglas Morris and several community leaders, including the late Green Lake residents Jerry Grout and Burton Kilbourne, the Festival was formed as a vehicle for enriching the lives of local residents.

1999

Under Executive Director Jeannette Kreston (1998-2011), the Festival increased its commitment to education and outreach. In 1999 the student chamber music workshop was introduced, providing an intensive, high-quality experience for high school and college string and piano students, something previously unavailable in Central Wisconsin. From a modest beginning, the workshop has grown to attract students from throughout the U.S. Workshop activities include daily coaching, master classes, performances, and numerous free outreach events for the general public and senior centers, libraries, and service groups.

2002

Perhaps the most notable accomplishment of the Festival’s founding Artistic Director Douglas Morris was bringing the world-renowned choral conductor Sir David Willcocks and later his son Jonathan, to spend a week each summer directing a choral workshop at the Festival.

Following Sir David’s retirement in 2002, a national search for a new director was undertaken, resulting in the appointment of Stephen Alltop, Conductor of the famed Apollo Chorus of Chicago. Alltop has continued many of the existing traditions while introducing new workshop concepts and instrumental features of the culminating concert.

2004

Over the years, the Festival evolved into a comprehensive program, which was recognized for its outstanding record with a 2004 Governor’s Award in Support of the Arts.

2011

In 2011, readers of Green Lake Magazine voted the Festival as their “Favorite Attraction” for the second time.