Twenty years ago, Hanvelt’s wife, Gloria Jean, was recruited to sell t-shirts at the annual festival, held 175 miles east of San Francisco, Calif., which features music running the gamut from classical to pop, opera to country. Hanvelt decided to go along. A global commercial manager for General Electric at the time, he used his sales skills to sell more t-shirts that night than anyone had sold before. Next thing he knew, they wanted him to sell raffle tickets. Then he was offering to house musicians during the festival. Eventually, he found himself on the board of directors.

“I can’t sing a note, can’t play a note, but music speaks to your soul,” Hanvelt said.

Retired since 2001, Hanvelt took over as president and executive director three years ago. He compared the experience to “drinking from a fire hose” because of how quickly he had to get up to speed. For example, he learned just weeks before the 2003 festival that a tent to house the performances had not been reserved.

“At Harvey Mudd College you learn to make things happen, learn to solve problems, learn that you can do anything,” he said. Hanvelt not only acquired a tent, but he also turned the festival around financially.

Hanvelt recently turned over executive director duties to a colleague, but as president he’s still involved in all parts of the festival, from booking acts to making sure that the port-a-potties are in place. A large part of his work, however, is raising money. Ticket sales only cover about 40 percent of the festival’s cost; the rest comes from grants and gifts.

“When you have a passion for something and are donating yourself to it, it’s not bad to say, ‘Hey, this is a good thing, why don’t you support it too?’” he said.

This year’s festival, the 37th, runs July 30-Aug. 14. Mary Wilson and the Supremes is the headline act; other performers include VanCliburn piano competition winner Olga Kern, country singer Mark Chesnutt, and jazz singer Barbara Morrison. The Barber of Seville is this summer’s opera, and the Bear Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform several times. Bear Valley, with a population of around 150, is the smallest community in the world to support a full symphony orchestra.

“You think Bear Valley is Podunk USA, and it is,” Hanvelt said. “The whole area is starved for cultural events, and the festival is a great way to get the community to experience music.”

The festival also includes an auction—Hanvelt shares auctioneer duties with a local anchorwoman—and, new this year, a camp for teenage musicians.

“Kids are our future. Lots of young, talented musicians struggle to get exposure and positive encouragement,” Hanvelt said. “We bring them here and give them time to train with professional musicians. It’s a great thing.”