:: Oregon Aug 6 - 13, 2002 :: :: Wallawa Chamber Music Festival :: As I finally journal my most recent trip to Oregon, here in Florida it finally feels like the first day of fall, despite it being mid-October. This sunny cool weather is exactly how it felt in Oregon in the summer, well, minus the humidity. I met Lisa Robertson, one of the founders of the Wallowa Lake Chamber Music Festival, back when I was getting my music degree at Florida State University. My classical violin studies were with Eliot Chapo, primarily, but I also spent a good bit of time studying with Lisa. Last year, when I flew out to Oregon, I walked around in the rain for a couple hours in Portland, and was sick with a cold the whole time I visited, but it still was a great time. Lisa gave me tea and let me bundle up in the hammock (yes, hard for this Florida girl to believe one can bundle up in the summertime) and get well. This time, there would be a little more work involved. Lisa invited me to participate in the chamber music festival, and, in addition, teach a swing violin workshop. A view of Idaho from the airplane. I flew into Lewiston, Idaho, which is actually a lot closer to the festival area than flying into a bigger airport like Portland, Oregon. It's so mountainous and brown compared to flat green Florida. Kind of looks like someone was trying to spread out a big brown blanket on the earth and it all wrinkled up. Roxie and Don picked me up at the airport. Roxie is a clarinetist...and Don is her husband. Thursday was when the campers started to arrive. We were situated in cabins along a mountain, and met up for meals and rehearsals. They'd clang a bell to let us know the food was ready. We're talkin' high tech. It was Thursday night and these campers were ready to dig into their chamber music. One of the first events of the festival was a recital put on by the 5 faculty members: (L to R) Deborah Bish (clarinet), Lisa Robertson (violin), Edward Dixon (cello), Karen Clarke (violin), Leonie Hartmann (viola). Lisa's just a hard lady to like, can't ya tell? The area was beautiful and unique. Out west you'll meet people who think nothing of having a wind-powered generator, and doing lots of other ecologically minded things, like composting. Here's an unusual little triangular cabin. Next to it is the seemingly precarious wooden bridge we would drive over. The faculty recital was held in Enterprise's only performance hall, the IOOF Hall (Independent Order of Odd Fellows). Last summer I thought it was 100 F, like an apartment number. I called it the "I oof" building for simplicity's sake. The Odd Fellows' feminine counterparts are the Rebekah's -- cool! an outdoor rehearsal (L to R) Lee, Loree, Karen, Trudy, and Sharon This is where I stayed, at Gail Swart's cabin, right along the river. It was beautiful. I could see deer and hummingbirds from her back porch, which inspired me to write a song while I was there. Originally I called it "Oregon", but I've renamed it "Hummingbird", and it will be on my upcoming CD. You'd be writing songs too, if this were your view. "Hummingbird" Sleep found me quickly Hummingbird came at dawn to tell of a river that goes on and on. I see you deer (dear) on yonder bank, and in this silence it's you I thank for times of quiet, for times of space, that I might come into this place. next page >>