We took three days to drive the nearly 900 miles from Eugene OR to the Big Sky Resort in Montana, arriving mid-day on June 30. We stopped overnight in Burns OR, at the Wal-Mart in Jerome ID, and at a combination RV Park and Laundromat in Island Park ID (we're not sure which came first). As we'd be dry camping at Big Sky, we used the last stop to drain the holding tanks and fill the water tank.
This report will be of most interest to folks with an interest in harps, but everyone else is welcome. We've been going to Big Sky MT for a harp festival every two years since 2005, and we hope to continue that pattern. Bonnie Pulliam puts on a fantastic harp gathering; it's a shame more people can't manage to join the fun.
The 2009 Big Sky Folk Harp Festival drew a modest crowd, but those who attended were blessed by some of the best harp players in the world, and they came from all over the world to perform and to teach. Judy spent her time attending workshops and seminars, while Al spent his helping the exhibitors have a smooth event and performing the occasional errand. And a very good time was had by us, anyway. Bonnie says she thinks Big Sky is the best folk harp festival there is, and we can't argue.
We parked the motor home in a back parking area at the Big Sky Resort, at about 8,000 feet elevation. By the time the festival was over, there were about a dozen rigs in that lot. Soon as we got there and connected with Bonnie, we asked what needed to be done. Laura Zaerr, who teaches harp at the University of Oregon in Eugene OR needed a pickup at the Belgrade MT airport, about an hour away, so we retrieved her. Driving
back to Big Sky, we were treated to a ferocious thunderstorm and an impressive hail storm, which sounds really really loud inside a little car. Fortunately, no hail damage, and only minor passenger stress.
The festival can probably be best illustrated by listing the artists who shared their talents with us, starting with The Wolf Tones. A nostalgic rock group formed especially for Big Sky, they held their second concert ever. It's gotta be the only rock band in the world with two cross-strung harps. Great fun. Louise Trotter from Houston TX is a delightful permanent fixture at harp festivals, and at 87 years
young continues to tour professionally. Laura Zaerr showcased one of her pupils - Noah Brenner - and also performed an original harp concerto with a genuine tuxedo-clad string quartet. Park Stickney came from Geneva Switzerland to astound us with his jazz artistry on the pedal harp. And that was just the first night.
Bronzewood Paedeia from the San Francisco area combines harp with hand bells for a truly unique sound. Beth Kollé from Seattle introduced us to some great Scandinavian music. John Metras from Cotati CA played several great swing tunes on his cross-strung harp, and even dueted with himself on the melodica. Joy Yu Hoffman from Chicago wowed the audience with her Kung Hou Chinese Harp. Sunita Staneslow came from Israel and shared some beautiful Jewish music. And Kim Robertson
from Milwaukee gave a viruoso performance, as always.
Sarah Deere-Jones from Cornwall, England (we all decided she's the better looking twin of Helen Hunt) shared some enchanting Cornish music, and was joined by guitarist Phil Williams, who had the distinction of breaking no fewer than 3 guitar strings in the same musical set. Harper Tasche from Seattle is always a crowd-pleaser with his thoughtful original works. Sharlene Wallace from Toronto
played a marvelous South American piece by the incomparable Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (who was in the audience) - and later in her set played it again because she didn't like the way she did it the first time. And Nicolas Carter, from Paraguay and Minneapolis, blew us away with his Paraguayan harp artistry.
There was Deborah Henson-Conant from Massachusetts, one of the most electrifying (and electrified) harpists there is, who capped off the festival with an amazing two hour concert that left everyone energized and exhausted at the same time.
And then there were the relatively impropmptu duets and combos that synergistically materialized. John Metras leading Louise Trotter in a spontaneous two-harp version of Dueling Banjos. Kim Robertson joining Sunita Staneslow for a duet, and then being joined during her set by Park Stickney. Park Stickney joining Deborah Henson-Conant for an absolutely fantastic jazz duet. Practically everybody uniting on stage for an
ensemble version of Pachelbel's Canon, delightfully accompanied by a sideline siren chorus led by Kim Robertson.
We all got our exercise doing standing ovations. You shoulda been there.
A personal highlight was reconnecting wth Don Wilson. Don & Al have worked together in the exhibit hall the past two harp festivals at Big Sky, but not this time. Don had both a minor heart attack and a minor stroke (if there is such a thing) this past winter, and Nancy's keeping him on a pretty short leash these days. But they came for a couple of the concerts, and it's good to see that Don's come through virtually unscathed.
Martha Gallagher, the Adirondack Harper, fell in love with Judy's Reese Mirror Meadow double 29 string harp, so an agreement was reached, and she adopted it. Big thanks are due to Beth Kollé for introducing them. Eve Stone from Stoney End Harps volunteered to transport it back east. Apparently, it takes a village to adopt a harp. So Judy's down to just the one harp (her beloved Lorian Raphael 24) these days.
Judy took advantage of the opportunity and enhanced her collection of genuine Luzma harp-inspired jewelry. Luz Marina Ortiz (Alfredo's wife) creates the unique silver jewelry.
One of the advantages of a small crowd is the opportunity you have to really get to know everybody else, including all the performers. We hope everything works out so there can be another Big Sky Harp Festival. This one was an extraordinary event.
The slideshow for this report contains about 155 images. Click here to see the pictures.
We took three days to drive the nearly 900 miles from Eugene OR to the Big Sky Resort in Montana, arriving mid-day on June 30. We stopped overnight in Burns OR, at the Wal-Mart in Jerome ID, and at a combination RV Park and Laundromat in Island Park ID (we're not sure which came first). As we'd be dry camping at Big Sky, we used the last stop to drain the holding tanks and fill the water tank.
We parked the motor home in a back parking area at the Big Sky Resort, at about 8,000 feet elevation. By the time the festival was over, there were about a dozen rigs in that lot. Soon as we got there and connected with Bonnie, we asked what needed to be done. Laura Zaerr, who teaches harp at the University of Oregon in Eugene OR needed a pickup at the Belgrade MT airport, about an hour away, so we retrieved her. Driving
back to Big Sky, we were treated to a ferocious thunderstorm and an impressive hail storm, which sounds really really loud inside a little car. Fortunately, no hail damage, and only minor passenger stress.
Wolf Tones. A nostalgic rock group formed especially for Big Sky, they held their second concert ever. It's gotta be the only rock band in the world with two cross-strung harps. Great fun. Louise Trotter from Houston TX is a delightful permanent fixture at harp festivals, and at 87 years
young continues to tour professionally. Laura Zaerr showcased one of her pupils - Noah Brenner - and also performed an original harp concerto with a genuine tuxedo-clad string quartet. Park Stickney came from Geneva Switzerland to astound us with his jazz artistry on the pedal harp. And that was just the first night.
thoughtful original works. Sharlene Wallace from Toronto
played a marvelous South American piece by the incomparable Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (who was in the audience) - and later in her set played it again because she didn't like the way she did it the first time. And Nicolas Carter, from Paraguay and Minneapolis, blew us away with his Paraguayan harp artistry.
And then there were the relatively impropmptu duets and combos that synergistically materialized. John Metras leading Louise Trotter in a spontaneous two-harp version of Dueling Banjos. Kim Robertson joining Sunita Staneslow for a duet, and then being joined during her set by Park Stickney. Park Stickney joining Deborah Henson-Conant for an absolutely fantastic jazz duet. Practically everybody uniting on stage for an
ensemble version of Pachelbel's Canon, delightfully accompanied by a sideline siren chorus led by Kim Robertson.
Martha Gallagher, the Adirondack Harper, fell in love with Judy's Reese Mirror Meadow double 29 string harp, so an agreement was reached, and she adopted it. Big thanks are due to Beth Kollé for introducing them. Eve Stone from Stoney End Harps volunteered to transport it back east. Apparently, it takes a village to adopt a harp. So Judy's down to just the one harp (her beloved Lorian Raphael 24) these days.