‘In a Landscape’: Pianist Hunter Noack’s Outdoor Concerts

Hunter Noack performing in Oregon's Alvord Desert. Arthur Hitchcock / In a Landscape

Pianist Hunter Noack longed to combine his two passions: the great outdoors and classical music. In 2016, he turned his dreams into reality when he founded the unique concert series, “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild.”

While Mr. Noack performs his favorite musical pieces overlooking the country’s stunning landscapes, the audience takes in the show and explores unbridled nature. Now in its 9th Season, the concert series’ reach has significantly expanded since Mr. Noack began. Along the way, he’s introduced many listeners to the beauty of classical music for the first time.

Childhood Passions for Nature and Music

The Deschutes River with a view of Mt. Hood poking through the clouds near Sunriver, Ore. Michael J Magee/Shutterstock

Mr. Noack grew up in the mountain town of Sunriver, Oregon. With its snowcapped Cascade Range and the Deschutes River that runs through woodlands filled with rows of hardy trees and rich vegetation, the community is known for its sprawling natural terrain. While reminiscing about his childhood days, he said to The Oregonian, “Growing up in central Oregon, I spent all my time outside when I wasn’t practicing.”

His mother, Lori Noack, instilled in him a love of nature and music from a young age. Some of his fondest memories were of attending the Sunriver Music Festival, which his mother directed. The popular festival features some of America’s most talented classical musicians.

Mr. Noack attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and music conservatories in London and San Francisco. After his training, he returned to Oregon, where he came up with an idea to blend his love of the outdoors and music. He describes his concept, “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild,” as a “soundtrack” to outdoor experiences.

A Concert in the Wild

Hunter Noack performing in Smith Rock State Park, Ore. Arthur Hitchcock/In a Landscape

While Mr. Noack picked different locations for his shows, including working farms, ranches, and untouched expanses, his friends helped him overcome one major hurdle. They found a way for him to transport his 9-foot Steinway grand piano on the road, across uneven ground. He and his friends constructed a custom flatbed trailer that hooks up to his truck for road trips. Once he reaches his performance destination, the flatbed trailer transforms into a stage.

Since Mr. Noack founded “In a Landscape” in 2016, he’s traveled throughout Oregon and much of the Pacific Northwest. He’s also ventured into New York and even Canada, all the while introducing audiences to all types of classical music, from Romantic composers to select modern pieces.

A Truly Unique Experience

"In a Landscape" audience members at Fox Creek Ranch in Carmel Valley, Calif. Arthur Hitchcock/In a Landscape

What began as a summer project has now become a year-round endeavor. So far, he’s performed over 275 shows. When CBS Mornings asked about his ability to perform in wild terrain day after day, Mr. Noack said, “I could do a show pretty much every day and be happy.” For him, it’s more than just combining his passions alone. What he enjoys most is sharing them with people from all walks of life:

“There’s something powerful about having a personal experience of listening to music in a landscape, but also sharing it with other people,” he said to The Oregonian.

When attending the concert series, people can wander through wooded areas, historical landmarks, and mountainsides while listening to Mr. Noack’s performance. Concertgoers’ wireless headphones stream the classical pieces as they roam away from the site of Mr. Noack’s towering piano.

His events attract a cross-section of music enthusiasts, from those who live in densely populated cities to traveling loggers.

Hunter Noack performing at Fox Creek Ranch in Carmel Valley, Calif. Arthur Hitchcock/In a Landscape

One of the partners for “In a Landscape,” the Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT), understands the positive impact these types of unique events have on communities. In an interview with Bonner County Daily Bee, the executive director of KLT, Katie Cox, said that Mr. Noack’s concerts are “an opportunity to spend time in nature in a way that is a truly unique experience.”

Though there is a significant demand for attendance to “In a Landscape” events, Mr. Noack likes to keep each performance intimate, allowing 200–250 concertgoers per show. He explained: “More [people] than that loses the sense of intimacy that’s so important for people to feel like they’re having a personal experience in touch with nature.”

He expanded on his statement when asked about the importance of nature paired with music:

“The landscape does as much, ... if not more, for people than the music. We’re playing incredible works of art, but also giving people that window into observing the natural world.”

A Reinvigorated Love of Music

Hunter Noack performing at East Lake Resort in La Pine, Ore. Arthur Hitchcock/In a Landscape

Surveys submitted from those who’ve attended his shows reveal that many audience members have never listened to classical music before.

“I’ve been really surprised that about 39 percent of our audience has never been to a live classical concert before,” he stated. “I’m struck by the openness and appreciation expressed by people … that have no experience with classical music. Many are local people who have a relationship with a park, and hearing it with this soundtrack gives them a different perspective on the landscape.”

Described as an “immersive experience,” shows for “In a Landscape” are scheduled through fall 2024.

Now that Mr. Noack has several years of experience under his belt, he has his practice routine finely tuned. And this has positively impacted the way he prepares for all of his shows, whether he’s in the “cathedral of nature” or a performing arts concert hall.

He said: “I imagine squirrels chasing each other, a distinct smell in the air, that perfect breeze or the river or the ocean, and those memories somehow get embedded into the music and change the way I perform in the concert hall. It’s reinvigorated my love of the music.”

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