The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance is a non-profit corporation formed in the spring of 2004 by a small group of musicians and educators in Wallowa County, located in the northeastern corner of the state of Oregon.
The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance is dedicated to encouraging the growth of the music community in Oregon's Wallowa County, by connecting music educators with students, and encouraging a widening participation in music of all genres, with particular emphasis on youth education.
Musical Expressions for Youth—A program designed to fill the gap in Wallowa County’s public school system with regard to music education. Drawing from our community’s diverse pool of musicians and educators, the Music Alliance is developing a faculty that provides creative and exciting music educational experiences for our youth, both in the schools and at our own facility. Our Friday classes at The Woodshed have been ongoing since January of 2005.
Lifetime Music Workshops—Educational programs for all ages, focusing on the enjoyment of music and expanding musical horizons. The Music Alliance helps facilitate workshops based on the needs and desires of the community, taking advantage of local resources as well as calling on the talents of musicians or bands who may be touring our region.
Recurring workshops include Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Workshop, held the second week in July at Wallowa School campus, Spring Strings in the Wallowas - Recreational Chamber Music Players’ Retreat held in late April at local Bed & Breakfasts. Occasional workshops in songwriting, finger style guitar, mountain dulcimer have also been featured.
Musicians Referral Database—a work in progress: a comprehensive directory of Wallowa County musicians, music educators, performance venues, and rehearsal spaces.
“The Woodshed”—A place for those in our community to gather to enjoy music, to play, sing, listen, encourage, support, teach, share, and create, in a safe and friendly environment.
Newsletter—The Music Alliance publishes a free quarterly newsletter, The QuarterNote, featuring information about musical events in our community.
Community Outreach – The Music Alliance often coordinates music for special events in our area, such as the Watershed Festival, Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts, Youth Arts Festival, and more. The following regular music events are part of this program group:
The Courthouse Concert Series—free and open to the public every Thursday during the summer months. Drawing from local and regional talent, the Music Alliance presents a wide variety of music all summer long on the gazebo stage at the Wallowa County Courthouse in Enterprise, Oregon. Funding assistance is provided by the City of Enterprise and the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners and other community organizations. The concert series completed it’s second successful season in the summer of 2007.
Tunesmith Night—a monthly showcase of original music presented in a listening atmosphere by the songwriters themselves. Participating artists come from around the northwest and beyond, and always include local talent. Tunesmith Night has just entered it’s second year, fall of 2007.
Gail Swart - President – B.S. in elementary education from Eastern Oregon College, taught music in public schools in Enterprise, Oregon for 34 years; a pianist her entire life; active member of the board for the Enterprise Education Foundation and Wallowa Valley Health Care Foundation.
Janet Graham - Vice President - published writer, former advertising account executive, parent of musical children.
Jan Blair - Secretary - Retired secretary, enjoyed many years as a violinist and now enjoys singing.
Heather Tyreman - Treasurer – Principal oboist of the Grande Ronde Symphony in LaGrande, Oregon. Business owner in Joseph, Oregon, teaches oboe and serves on a variety of civic boards and organizations. Holds an M.B.A. degree and is a retired U.S. Army officer.
Don Chesnut - Retired bookkeeper; B.A. in elementary education; has sung in various community choruses. Currently with the Grande Ronde Community Chorus.
Carolyn Gilbert - President of Wallowa Valley Arts Council, on the board of Soroptomists, enjoys playing Appalachian dulcimer.
Sydney P. Tate - Retired from Equipment Rental business, recreational cellist, interested in promoting music as recreational form. Education: B.A. degree in education.
Lisa Robertson - Professional classical violinist; Director of Wallowa Lake Chamber Music Festival; Violin instructor for private students and Arist –in-Residence at Eastern Oregon University. Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts in Music, Doctor of Music.
Rodd Ambroson - Songwriter, musician and acclaimed artist and sculptor, Member of Wallowa Valley Arts Council
Laura Skovlin - Avid banjo and old-timey dance enthusiast, multi-talented musician and singer, massage therapist, and local source for farm-fresh eggs.
The WVMA currently has one
part-time paid staff person, executive director Janis Carper.
A lifetime professional musician, Janis Carper has accumulated a myriad
of skills that qualify her to lead the WVMA on its journey.
Ms. Carper is a published songwriter, with several recordings of original music. An accomplished singer and guitarist, she has performed as a solo artist, with bands, in musical theater and recording studios. She has taught songwriting workshops around the Pacific Northwest, and for several years was a regular columnist for the Victory Review, a widely distributed northwest music magazine.
Her “Songmaking Children” project with partner Susie Hammond was highly praised by the families and faculty of Pacific Crest Montessori School in Seattle, WA, where the pair worked with groups of students pre-school through third grade, writing songs and producing their own CD. They also produced a children’s musical performance including original songs, for the Earth Day 2000 celebration at the Seattle Center.
In Wallowa County, Carper has worked with area youth teaching guitar, songwriting and creative writing, organizing talent shows and other musical events, and also works with a small group of students to help them develop their skills in ear-training and playing in a band together. Her current favorite musical project is her band The Alibis.
Carper has a good deal of experience organizing events, concerts and music showcases, and has worked closely with non-profit organizations in the Northwest, including Victory Music, Seattle Performing Songwriters, the Foundation for Young Female Composers, and Fishtrap.