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Concert on tap at Crater Lake By Lee Juillerat Updated: Jul 01, 2022 12:17 PM A A Classical music concert will be performed at Discovery Point July 13-14 Hunter Noack performed in 2021 at Fort Rock. This summer he will perform at Crater Lake National Park. [Photo by Lee Juillerat] The sweet sounds of classical piano will fill the air at Crater Lake National Park in July. “IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild,” featuring classical pianist Hunter Noack, will be performed along the rim of Crater Lake July 13 and 14. The concert series, which is being performed at more than 50 sites around Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, received permission from the National Park Service for the two shows, both at 5 p.m. at Discovery Point. Tickets went on sale Thursday and, based on previous concerts, likely will sell out quickly. General admission tickets are $35; quantities are limited because of park restrictions. To learn more and to purchase tickets, email [email protected]. No chairs will be provided. Organizers recommend bringing low-back chairs to better allow others to view the performance. Custom headphones are included and allow people to wander away and enjoy Crater Lake and the unique landscape while listening to the performance. The Crater Lake performances will follow a July 11 concert at Lithia Park in Ashland and precede a July 15 concert at Newberry Crater near La Pine, plus two July 17 and 18 at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, and July 20 at the Tetherow Resort, also in Bend. Noack will return to Southern Oregon in August, with stops at Fort Rock State Park in Lake County Sept. 3 and 4. During the performances, Noack plays a variety of classical music on his 9-foot Steinway piano that travels with him from show to show. The Crater Lake shows will require people to make a 1.2-mile hike because parking will not be allowed at Discovery Point, with some exceptions for a limited number of cars with disabled parking permits. People will be able to drive to the concert site and drop chairs and anyone who does not want to hike. At least one person will need to drive 1.2 miles to the main parking area at Rim Village, then hike on a trail — not the road — back to the concert site. “This concert is intended to be part of a full Crater Lake National Park experience, complete with a hike along the rim to appreciate the magnificence of this landscape,” said concert organizers. “All should plan to either make the hike or have a designated hiker in your group who will drop you off at the concert site and return to park at the Rim Visitor Center.” The Rim Trail from Rim Visitor Center features several lake overlooks. It’s estimated the average hiker can expect to make the trip in 30 to 45 minutes each way. Not included in the concert admission is the park’s $30 per vehicle entrance fee, but yearly and senior passes will be honored. Organizers suggest people arrive at least 90 minutes before the concert to park, hike, reach the site, check in, obtain headphones and relax before the concert. “Better yet,” they suggest, “come even earlier and spend the full day at Crater Lake.” Dogs are not allowed. Outside food and drink are permitted, but people are encouraged to plan to eat beforehand at one of the Crater Lake area dining establishments, including the Rim Village Cafe and Annie Creek Restaurant. Portable restrooms will be available, but smoking is prohibited. “The fire danger is very real, and we acknowledge this with the utmost seriousness,” organizers said. The concerts are rain-or-shine events, so people are encouraged to bring rain and heat protection. In the case of extreme weather or severe smoke, organizers will cancel by 9 a.m. on performance days and notify ticketed patrons. Regarding COVID-19, the performances will follow all current local, county and state protocols. Noack’s debut album, "In a Landscape," will be available as CDs or through MP3 download. The album reached No. 1 on Billboard's Traditional Classical Music charts in its first week. It features Noack performing select favorites from the classical piano canon as well as collaborations with Native American flutist James Edmund Greeley, psychedelic electronics by Dave Friedlander, a spacious concerto with the Salem Orchestra and an arrangement of a Franz Schubert song with Pink Martini’s China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale. For more information, including a list of scheduled performances, see inalandscape.org/2022-season. Reach freelance writer Lee Juillerat at [email protected] or 541-880-4139.