Snowshoers and cross-country skiers were putting on their layers, headlamps, and headphones for an alternative way to experience the snow paths when the Mount Bachelorlifts closed and the downhill and snowboarders left for home late Saturday afternoon. They left the Nordic Ski Center and followed tealight-lined slopes while listening to Paula Dreyer, a pianist and composer from Bend, open her live performance with Cloudchaser, an original tune inspired by one of Mount Bachelor’s ski lifts.
It’s all a part of Piano Flow, which started as the last of the sunset colored the pink peaks of Broken Top, South Sister, Bachelor, and Tumalo. Groups moved through the trees, occasionally swaying to the music in their ears and stopping at fire pits along the way. They were armed with headlamps, lanterns, glow sticks, or just the dim blue illumination of their headphones. Inside the lodge, guests saw artists Karen Eland and Jennifer McCaffrey paint winter scenes at 5 and 7 p.m., respectively, as they warmed themselves by the fire and listened to Dreyer’s music.
Fantastic. ethereal. After making a circle among the trees under the moonlight, Margaret Horton declared that it was magic. In order to avoid having to cross-country ski in the dark for the first time, Horton and her companion learnt how to do it earlier that day.
Although Piano Flow is new to Mount Bachelor, Paula Dreyer has five years of experience performing in various natural settings, such as Smith Rock, caves, lakes, and rivers, and at monthly cross-country ski performances at neighboring Virginia Meissner Sno-Park.
“The idea just kind of came to me while I was out cross-country skiing at Meissner on a gorgeous, sunny bluebird day,” Dreyer said. I was feeling quite joyful when I had the idea that I might perform live so that others could enjoy the music while going through what I’m going through.
Cross-country skier Gillian Ockner said she was first worried about the temperature, which had fallen into the teens that evening, but that once she was on the trails, her concerns were swiftly put aside.
We could actually dance on the snow together, according to Ockner, since the stars continued to get brighter and thicker as we floated around. It was amazing.
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IF YOU GO: On March 7, Mount Bachelor will host another Piano Flow event this winter. Shows start at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dreyer will perform moonlight ski concerts at Virginia Meissner Sno-Park on February 1 at 5 and 7 p.m. and on March 1 at 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at BendTicket.com or Eventbrite.com for $20 to $50.
For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Haley Nelson