Black Moon Trio Celebrates Lake Michigan Through Music and Art

Lake Michigan has long been a source of inspiration for artists across various disciplines, including visual art, music, and literature. On Sunday, Black Moon Trio premiered Lakenotes: Seasons of Lake Michigan at Ravinia, an innovative performance that paid tribute to the lake’s mystery and grandeur through music, poetry, and videography.

Visual artist Lincoln Schatz, video editor Dylan Connell, composer Stacy Garrop, poet Kathryn Haydon, pianist Jeremy Vigil, violinist Khelsey Zarraga, and horn player Parker Nelson were central to the event. The performance explored the ever-changing nature of Lake Michigan, capturing its transformations not only seasonally but also weekly, daily, and hourly. Erik Soderstrom, senior director of programming at Ravinia, remarked on the integration of music, words, and images, reflecting the lake’s significance to those living around it.

The multi-faceted concert showcased the collaboration between three artists, each using a unique creative lens. Kathryn Haydon’s poetic contributions captured the moods of the lake; Lincoln Schatz’s videography presented the expansive palette of Lake Michigan; and Stacy Garrop composed a chamber piece that echoed the lake’s natural rhythms and soundscapes.

Parker Nelson, director of arts and administration for Black Moon Trio, explained the musical elements chosen and curated by the trio, comprising Khelsey Zarraga on violin, Nelson on horn, and Jeremy Vigil on piano. Following Ravinia’s recent renovations, the Sandra K. Crown Theater has become a multimedia performance venue suited for crafting immersive experiences. Garrop’s Tracing Waves Across a Year served as the core of the performance, co-commissioned by Ravinia and Black Moon Trio, alongside works such as Mainframe Tropics by Mason Bates, Horn Trio by Carson Cooman, and Probuzení Perel (Awakening of Pearls) by Jiří Pazour.

Garrop credited Kathryn Haydon’s book, Unsalted Blue Sunrise: Poems of Lake Michigan (2023), as influential to her composition. The poetic forms inspired her musical interpretations of the lake’s moods, such as autumn clouds, churning waves, and frozen winter landscapes.

Joanna Rolek, executive director of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce, shared her experience of the performance, noting the integration of the lake’s rhythmic echoes into the music. Nelson highlighted the performance’s blend of auditory and visual elements, incorporating live musical improvisation in response to Schatz’s photography.

Haydon emphasized Lake Michigan’s integral role in forming a sense of place for Chicago residents, particularly those on the north shore. Schatz reflected on the lake transitioning from a mere subject to an active participant in artistic expression, altering the way individuals engage with it