‘In a Landscape’ brings classical piano to Jack London State Historic Park

Matching musical masterpieces with a natural setting, classical pianist Hunter Noack will bring his touring “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” concert series to Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen later this month.

The name of the series is not just a format for Noack. It’s a credo.

“I believe in the power of classical music, and I also believe that the more time we spend in nature, the better,” said the 34-year-old pianist, who splits his time between Portland and Summer Lake in Oregon. “I really like taking music out of the concert hall.”

The concert starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, and ends at 7 p.m. in the park’s Beauty Ranch Meadow. The sound will be transmitted to concertgoers via wireless headphones, so listeners can explore the landscape and still hear the concert.

“A lot of people bring their own picnics, blankets and chairs and find their own place,” Noack said.

The shows’ fans sometimes include local animal life.

“We’ve had horses, deer and lots of birds,” the pianist added. “On the Oregon coast, we had a whale come two nights in a row. It just kind of spouted and hung out.”

Founded in 2016 by Noack, the “In a Landscape” tours have presented 206 concerts in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, New York, Utah, Wyoming and California to more than 30,000 people.

Noack transports a 9-foot Steinway grand piano on a flatbed trailer to state and national parks, urban greenspaces, working ranches, farms and historical sites for his concerts.

“We built a custom stage that also serves as our trailer, so the piano lives on our stage, and we can pretty much go anywhere,” Noack said.

The show at Jack London State Historic Park is one of 40 concerts scheduled for his 2023 summer tour. This will be his second year at the park. Noack said his experience in Glen Ellen last year made him want to return.

“The history there is really fun for me, and the setting is spectacular, with the vineyards behind me,” the pianist said.

Noack’s repertoire includes such classical composers as Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel and Debussy, as well as more recent work by John Cage and Phillip Glass.

“The music that I tend to play works well as a soundtrack for the scenery,” he said. “I will play movements from a sonata instead of whole sonatas. It’s not easy listening, but it’s not difficult, either.”

Tickets cost $40 each, including use of the headphones, and are now available at “In a Landscape” on Eventbrite: bit.ly/3MDSdql. The park entry fee of $10 per vehicle (for up to nine passengers) is not included in the ticket price.

Each guest age 21 and older will receive one ticket for a free glass of Kenwood wine.

For more information about “In a Landscape,” visit inalandscape.org. For information on other upcoming events at the park, visit jacklondonpark.com/events.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5243. On Twitter @danarts.