A summer to remember
September 18, 2023
After three months, the 2023 season concluded on Sunday as excitedly as it began – with a deeply moving recital by pianist Clayton Stephenson; a pop-up performance by Tippet Rise’s own Peter Halstead and Pedja Mužijević; and hikers and bikers enjoying their last moments among the artworks and landscape.
Each summer our team is honored to welcome guests who travel from near and far to visit Tippet Rise, and grateful for their enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. (To those who biked the Meridian Trail up to the Domo by Ensamble Studio, we hope it was as rewarding as we know it was challenging!)
We greatly appreciate the many people who played an essential part in making this one of our most dynamic summers yet, including our incredible volunteers and seasonal teammates – interpretive rangers, sculpture van tour guides, stage manager, visitor center and maintenance assistants, and safety team members; returning local organizational partners Montana InSite Theatre and Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association; sculpture installation crews; and returning culinary talents from Samurai Sue’s Everyday Foods and PREROGATIvE Kitchen.
Clayton Stephenson performs the final concert of the season in the Olivier Music Barn. Photo by Brian Langeliers.
Co-Founders Cathy and Peter Halstead shared, “The 2023 season was full of discoveries – both literally and figuratively. The return of concerts at the Domo by Imani Winds and JIJI; Wander series performances by Sandbox Percussion and The Westerlies; and a pop-up performance at Trilogy by Louise Nevelson underscored the synergy among music, art, and nature in new and visceral ways. We were honored to host nearly 40 musicians who shared their talents and friendship with us, and for a cherished visit by Mark di Suvero, who joined us out on the vast landscape to hear two newly commissioned works by Amy Beth Kirsten and Douglas J. Cuomo – both inspired by his sculptures at Tippet Rise.”
In addition to holy sonnet and Proverb by Kirsten and Cuomo, the concert season featured the world premieres of four additional Tippet Rise commissions by Ukrainian composer Valentyn Silvestrov, including Three Serenades for Violin and Piano (2019), Five Bagatelles for Solo Piano (2020), Three Waltzes of the Moment for Violin and Piano, and Four Pieces for Piano.
The Soil You See… was on view at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Photo by AJ Mitchell.
Upcoming events and programs
We anticipate a busy fall as we prepare for the 2024 season, including the installation of artist Wendy Red Star’s new sculpture The Soil You See… at Tippet Rise. Red Star’s work played a significant role in the exhibition Beyond Granite: Pulling Together on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which closes today, and we are honored for it to soon make its home here.
Our team will release a new installment of the online film series Relevance of Place, featuring conversations with artists Jeffrey Gibson, Heather Hart, and Ben Pease, and Tippet Rise Co-Directors Lindsey and Pete Hinmon. Additionally, high-definition films and recordings from this year and past seasons will be added to our website in the coming months.