Living on Bainbridge Island is to surround oneself with the arts. Last weekend I went to the Olympic Music Festival for the first time – and the music and the setting surpassed my expectations in every way. Getting there was a short and easy drive from Bainbridge Island. The day was chilly and pouring down rain as we walked from an open field, down a tree-lined path to the restored barn that seats two hundred people. The barn door was open to the lawn seating beyond, but the rain brought us all inside to sit either on the cushioned pews in front of the stage or on the stacked hay bales rising from either side of the stage and in the loft (bring a blanket to sit on).

The Philadelphia String Quartet performed a program of Kodaly, Debussy and Dvorak.  The performance was first-rate, and the acoustics were stellar. The intimate setting allows you to feel the music with your body and to watch the musicians playing off one another like jazz performers.

 During the intermission I sipped coffee, browsed through a table of CD’s of previous performances and chatted with some friendly east-side people who have been coming to this event for more than twenty years. How lucky we are to have this venue in our back yard!

It’s a wonderful experience to listen to world-class music in a bucolic, informal setting. The festival runs June 30th through September 2nd and tickets are available on-line.