Earth Day Concert in the Magic Valley
During the week of Earth Day 2019 we visited the heart of the Magic Valley in Twin Falls, Idaho, where we presented a special program with the Magic Valley Symphony.
The concert at the College of Southern Idaho’s lovely fine arts auditorium was centered around three of our visual pieces. The first two came from our repertoire and nicely contrasted one another: Vanishing Forest and Sagaland. Set to Vaughan Williams’ ethereal The Lark Ascending, the concert opener Vanishing Forest explored the many shades of green and wide-ranging biodiversity found in the tropical rainforests of Central America. Adding to the atmosphere, violinist Jennifer Call Dunn performed a beautiful rendition of the Lark in an elegant, rainforest-themed dress.
Moving up several degrees in latitude was Sagaland, our visual concerto set in the sweeping volcanic and ice-chiseled landscapes of Iceland and paired with Hovhaness’s Mysterious Mountain. Interestingly, the Magic Valley shares a somewhat similar geologic history with Iceland. The valley’s thundering waterfalls and gorgeous Snake River Canyon are reminiscent of what Westwater Arts Creative Director Nicholas Bardonnay saw while shooting Sagaland during a two-month stay on the Nordic island.
The last piece on the program, a new community-sourced commission—Making More Magic—brought the Magic Valley region into focus. During early conversations with Nicholas, MVS Maestro Ted Hadley expressed an interest in celebrating the qualities that make their area unique. For the music, the orchestra had already commissioned the perfect work several years earlier from composer Scott Watson. The 12-minute work, Magic Valley, had just the right character and a cinematic feel to it.
All of the visuals for the new photochoreography piece came from the Twin Falls community. Both amateur and professional photographers—smartphone and DSLR users alike—submitted their images to the orchestra, which were eventually curated and arranged by Nicholas. Over 2,500 images rolled in from dozens of local participants, covering everything from farming and rock climbing to local rodeos and volunteerism. Additionally, a superb early 20th century photo collection featuring portraits, landscapes, festivals and agriculture was made available for the orchestra’s project, providing wonderful counterpoints to the contemporary images.
Following the concert, the Westwater Arts team got to take in some of the magic of the Magic Valley. Idaho has the highest concentration of hot springs in the U.S., so naturally that was on the itinerary. Nicholas also went on a multi-day bikepacking trip to explore the region firsthand.
(Hand and water image submitted by Marjorie McBride. Wind turbine image submitted by Marlon Nussbaum. Historic bumper crop image submitted by Clarence Bisbee Collection. Whitewater rafting image submitted by Bill Nichols.)
