Music and nature

Nature can have a song all its own — birds chirping, a breeze rustling tree branches or a stream rushing over rocks.

So it only seems natural for North Valley Music School and the Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center to create a music and nature day camp for students interested in bringing the two elements together.

Brett Holmquist, executive director of Ravenwood, said music was already part of the enrichment at the day camps, but this is the first time instruction will be brought into the mix.

“Being in nature opens the creative process to listen and explore,” Holmquist said. “Nature can open blockages of creativity.”

The two nonprofits have created a new camp this year that runs July 17-21 and is for ages 7 to 14. Ravenwood holds its camps on forest land between Whitefish and Columbia Falls in a partnership with F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co.

For the music nature camp, there will be four music sections, including strings, percussion, winds and brass, and guitar and songwriting. The sections will work independently and collaborate, coming together at the end of the week for a group performance.

Deidre Corson, executive director of North Valley Music School, said she expects the music created to be nature-inspired improvisation.

“The connection of music and nature is just a given,” she said. “Nature can be soothing and calming.”

Campers in the strings section might sit and listen to the birds before playing based on what they hear. Songwriters will look to weave the story of what they see, hear and feel outdoors into their songs.

Karen Pogorzelski will instruct the strings section, Don Caverly the percussion, Sky Thoreson the winds and brass, and Holmquist will lead the guitar and songwriting section.

All sections will spend a few hours together each day for group activities, and the usual camp fun — games, crafts, wilderness skills and songs. There will be breakout time for music creation and instruction for each section. The goal is to also bring in local musicians to speak with the campers about their life in music.

“There will still be time for the standard Ravenwood things — stories, games, adventure and getting dirty,” Holmquist said. “Story telling is a big part of what we do and we hope the local musicians can share their story to inspire and maybe do a performance around the campfire.”

Campers in the winds and brass and strings sections should have at least a year of experience, but beginners are welcome in the percussion and guitar groups. Campers with the exception of the percussion group are expected to bring their own instruments, though some are available for loan for the camp.

The music and nature day camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the cost is $275.

Call (406) 260-8620 for information and visit www.RavenwoodOLC.org for more on registration, fees, scholarships, and other Ravenwood programs.