Thank you to everyone who made the 26th Season of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival a truly glorious event! From our opening concert on August 4th to closing night on August 20th, every note was a treat. At the core of this year’s Festival were our 10 Main Stage concerts at Orcas Center and via livestream, as well as the return of free concerts at the community clubs of Olga, West Sound, and Deer Harbor. We also enjoyed a splendid sold-out performance on Lopez Island, our Open Rehearsal for Seniors, a lively Children’s Concert, pre-concert talks, and a special afternoon event at Orcas Island Library, with their helpful partnership. Parties, receptions, and other festive gatherings added to the musical experience, resulting in an amazing two-plus weeks of fantastic music and fun.

We are so grateful to our musicians who traveled from across the country and around the world to bring this season’s unique programming to life. And we are truly thankful to the Or-cas community for the warm welcome these artists receive. So many individuals make this possible – our Board of Directors, our sponsors, home hosts, crew, myriad volunteers (we wish we could list you all), and of course our enthusiastic audiences, both in person and online.

In addition to those amazing individuals, many community groups and businesses pitched in. We sincerely thank the Orcas Island Community Band, the Orcas Island Lions Club, Orcas Is-land Library, HALO, Orcas Senior Center, Kaleidoscope Preschool, Orcas Island Film Festival, The Office Cupboard, Islands’ Sounder, the Orcasonian, Lopez Weekly, Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, Orcas Hotel, and Island Market.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Orcas Center – they provide the perfect venue for our main stage and livestreamed concerts along with so much more! We are so grateful for their dedication in helping us elevate every aspect of our concerts.

And finally, congratulations to our Founder and Artistic Director, Aloysia Friedmann. We are overjoyed and so grateful that, all those years ago, she thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to start a Chamber Music Festival on Orcas Island?” The Festival has enriched many lives and created such beautiful relationships of giving and receiving on Orcas and in so many other places. We look forward to our 27th Season, August 2 – 17, 2024 – see you there!

Anita Orne

Executive Director, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival