The unusual story of a man and his piano
I planned a cross-country trip to see a guy play a piano on a mountain. It was worth the flight.
There is a push and pull in Hunter Noack’s life that formed him from a young age. Growing up in the beauty of Central Oregon he spent his days outdoors and when he was inside, he was practicing piano. His musical talent and love for nature led him to study at Interlochen Arts Academy for high school and then at music conservatories in California and London.
To achieve the level of expertise Hunter has at a keyboard, it takes an incredible amount of practice. After years of concert halls and practice rooms, he craved a natural backdrop to his days. How to combine his two loves, classical music and the great outdoors? From this dissonance in his life, IN A LANDSCAPE, Classical Music in the Wild, was born.
I came across Hunter on YouTube back in 2020 and became intrigued by his quest to bring his music to the people of Oregon instead of assuming that they would come to him. Easily accessible classical music experiences in remote locations for people who may not normally have exposure to classical music is the overall driver of IN A LANDSCAPE.
Nobody expects to see a 9’ Steinway grand piano inexplicably on the top of a mountain. Part of the fun of the experience is wondering how Hunter was able to pull this off. You learn that he has a specifically designed trailer that turns into a storage box for the piano once the piano's legs are removed. Put the legs of the piano back on, turn the trailer into a stage and you have a portable concert venue. The intrigue of hauling a 9’ Steinway grand piano across wilderness terrain is a part of the sideshow. I decided I needed to experience Classical Music in the Wild.
And so, I planned a trip. Living in Ohio, we had never been to Oregon and had heard that it’s a beautiful state. Why not see as much as we could of it and center our trip around one of his concerts? I chose what seemed to be the most dramatic of settings for his concert and bought tickets. We were headed to Mount Bachelor outside of Bend, OR to listen to Hunter play his piano on the top of a mountain in a lava field.
I’ve attended many concerts, but until July 2022, I’d never hitched a ride on a ski lift to get to one. We climbed several thousand feet and enjoyed incredible views of pine covered mountains, patches of snow and an expansive blue sky. Once at the summit we walked about a half a mile to get to the concert venue and then exchanged our tickets for a headset. Listening through the headset allows for you to sit as near or as far from the performance space as you desire and also allows for you to wander through the natural surroundings as you enjoy the music.
Hunter understands what so many musicians don’t bother to think about. We all experience and react to music in different ways. Some of us are contemplative, others need to move their bodies in response to what their ears are hearing. Some crave connection with fellow concert-goers, for others, they appreciate solitude. Hunter’s concerts in the middle of expansive natural surroundings give his listeners the opportunity to experience his music in their own way.
This concert “venue” was vast allowing the crowd to spread out, claim their own space and make the concert what they wanted it to be. Some sat in their chairs, watching the sun’s long evening rays continually change the look of the mountainside. Others played in the large patches of snow. Some climbed rocks, others ran down a mountainside meadow. At one point, Hunter invited people to come onto his small stage with him while he played. They were sitting next to him, around him and even laying under his piano. Most musicians would be distracted at the intrusion of so many bodies so close to them while performing, but he seemed energized by the close contact.
There is a disconnect between those of us who love classical music and those who claim it is boring. Some of that is due to a common perception that classical music is for a small, elite group housed in ticketed concert halls. What Hunter has accomplished by hauling his 9 foot Steinway grand piano to landscapes where one would never expect to see a piano is a tearing down of barriers. Through his concerts, classical music is no longer relegated to the ivory tower, but crosses into a common, relatable space.
Was it worth the flight? Unequivocally yes! I already have my eye on something new he has added to his schedule: night time concerts in dark sky parks. Time to plan another trip!
For more information about Hunter Noack’s IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild, go to Inalandscape.org