Crater Lake, Ore. — The iconic scenery of Crater Lake came to life in a musical form. This weekend only, the Britt orchestra is performing “Natural History,” a composition inspired by Crater Lake, at the landmark itself.
“I don’t think anybody’s ever done anything quite like this,” said Teddy Abrams, Britt Music Director and Orchestra Conductor.
Abrams guided over 100 musicians through a newly written composition, performed for the first time at the very place that inspired the music.
“We wanted this performance to be organic and natural, and to have a connection, a deep connection to the place itself,” Abrams said. “We didn’t want it to feel like we just took an orchestra and played a show, we wanted it to feel like it grew out of the very land, out of the very setting, and the spirituality of the place.”
According to Don Gentry, the Chairman of the Klamath Tribes, the spiritual connection deeply touched them.
“I didn’t know i was going to be moved to tears, but I was,” Gentry said. “It incorporated and integrated our native drum, and Klamath language.”
That was one of Composer Michael Gordon’s goals, who came all the way out from New York to take on the project.
“They see this as a church in a certain sense,” Gordon said.
The composition is also honoring the 100th year of the National Parks system, written and put together over a period of 18 months, requiring over 100 musicians.
Performances will be taking place on Saturday at 11 AM, as well as 2 and 5 PM. If you aren’t able to attend one of the concerts this weekend, the piece will be performed again on August 20th at the Britt Pavilion.
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