Looking Forward and Looking Back (D.S. al Coda)

As we look ahead to the 29th season of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in 2026, it feels like the perfect moment for a musical “D.S. al Coda.” For non-musicians, D.S. or the Italian Dal Segno, is an instruction to revisit a familiar passage, then leap ahead to the end of the piece. Think of it as a roadmap through a complex score—and at OICMF, we navigate one of our own.

This season, we’re saying goodbye to several extraordinary people who have shaped the music, magic, and momentum of the festival. Each deserves a well-earned encore.

Our former Executive Director Anita Orne took her final bow with OICMF on Tuesday. While she’s been celebrated many times over the past year (and rightly so), it’s worth repeating—again and again—just how deeply her impact resonates. From her years as videographer, then joining the Board, to finally her last decade at the helm as Executive Director, Anita’s leadership, vision, and heart have left an indelible mark on OICMF. Thank you, Anita. You will be greatly missed, even as your legacy plays on. Now, time to relax!

Also exiting the stage is our beloved Festival Production Manager, Mary Taylor, who brought boundless energy, organization, and a radiant smile to OICMF over the past three years. Mary expertly recruited and guided our incredible volunteers—her cherished “lovelies”—and we know they’ll miss her enormously. Thank you, Mary, for everything, and best wishes as you embark on your next adventure.

And finally, after twenty years of shaping the visual voice of the festival, graphic designer Wade Campbell is retiring. Wade tirelessly crafted our programs, spring brochures, fall fundraising campaigns, posters, ads, and countless other graphics, helping define the look and feel of OICMF for two decades. His work has been the quiet harmony behind every season.

Wade leaves us with these words:

“It’s astounding to look back on my nearly 20 years of graphic design involvement with the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival! I am grateful and honored to have played a part in this incredible festival. Although for many of those years I have physically been away from Orcas Island, it will always have a very special place in my heart and memories. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Aloysia, Jackie, Anita, the Board and staff of OICMF, and the many, many folks who have helped to make my experiences with the festival so pleasurable and memorable. I’ll be listening and watching online from my home in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, with hopes of visiting the magical island again soon."

Some of Wade's designs over the years:

To Anita, Mary, and Wade: thank you for the music you’ve made with us. This may be a coda, but your melodies will linger long after the final note. 🎶

Save the Date: Iwo & Karolina Return to Orcas!

Duo Karolina Mikołajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki performing

on our Festival Stage during our 26th Season.

 -Photo by Barry Carlton

We are excited to welcome back Karolina Mikołajczyk, violin, and Iwo Jedynecki, accordion, the week of March 10 - 14, for their second appearance in our Musicians-in-Residence program. They debuted at the Festival in 2023 and returned that fall for performances on Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw Islands. The duo is one of the most vibrant and innovative chamber ensembles of the current generation of classical musicians. In 2024 they were awarded Poland's most prestigious prize for classical music - the Polityka's Passport - praised for their 'versatility and ability to navigate through diverse musical realms; virtuosity, unbridled imagination, and ingenuity in selecting and creating new repertoire for the distinctive combination of violin and accordion.'

The week will include appearances at local schools, community "pop-up" performances, and a very special Salon Concert, date to be announced. https://www.mikolajczyk-jedynecki.pl/

Vivaldi in the New Year

Welcome in 2026 with this energetic and joyful performance of the third movement of Vivaldi's Concerto for two cellos in G minor, RV 531, Allegro, in the 28th Season Festival's Candlelight Classics concert. Cellists Christine Lee and Nathan Chan are featured with our wonderful "OICMF Chamber Orchestra" artists - violinists Chee-Yun, Nicolas Danielson, Nanki Chugh, Emilia Carter, and Zachary DePue; violists Aloysia Friedmann and Jasper de Boor; Valentin Radutiu, cello; Pedro Giraudo, double bass; and Jon Kimura Parker, harpsichord.

Also, enjoy an Intermission Artist Interview hosted by Sophie Parker with cellist Christine Lee discussing what it was like to perform with her husband, cellist Nathan Chan:

Mark your Calendar!

OICMF's 29th Season is August 7 - 22, 2026.

You can still read all about the concerts, artists, repertoire, program notes, and so much more that made up our 28th Season in our program book - here

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more fun and news -

updates on concerts, interviews with artists, OICMF fashion tips, and more!

We look forward to sharing more OICMF news and events with you — keep your eyes peeled for next month's Scherzo!

All the best,

Christopher Peacock

Executive Director

Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival