Magical Oregon Moments

“In A Landscape” is a series of piano recitals performed by Hunter Noack in some of Oregon’s most scenic places. He hauls a 1912 full size Steinway to iconic places in the open air and the audience listens through wireless headsets. You can sit by the piano or wander for miles and still get the impression that he is playing just for you – an amazingly vast but intimate experience.

The last of this year’s concerts was on the Alvord Desert – a dry lake bed nestled under the Steens Mountains in Eastern Oregon surrounded by magic light and stunning vistas where we camped in perfect weather. The audience was remarkably diverse for a classical music event – from Portland hipsters to local ranchers who had taken their time and their heavy equipment to make this special performance possible. Hunter apparently values the unexpected interactions after his concerts and this event was no exception – after a couple of beers and the offer of our tequila, a lot of fun conversations followed into the night as most people were staying right there in one form of camping or another.

Included in this event was a visit from Kim Stafford, the Oregon Poet Laureate. The second photograph is of Hunter Noack listening to Kim Stafford read “In The Desert” that the late Ursula Le Guin wrote about the Alvord. Not a dry eye in the house.

Mark your calendars for 2019.