Lakenotes: A Tribute to Lake Michigan’s Majesty

Lake Michigan has long served as a source of inspiration for artists across various fields—visual art, music, and literature. Continuing this artistic legacy, Black Moon Trio introduced Lakenotes: Seasons of Lake Michigan at Ravinia on Sunday. This multi-dimensional performance pays homage to the majesty and mystery of Lake Michigan through music, poetry, and videography.

Scheduled for August 2, 2026, at Ravinia, Lakenotes features a collaborative effort by visual artist Lincoln Schatz, video editor Dylan Connell, composer Stacy Garrop, and poet Kathryn Haydon. Musicians include Jeremy Vigil on piano, Khelsey Zarraga on violin, and Parker Nelson on horn. Erik Soderstrom, senior director of programming at Ravinia, commented that Lakenotes takes the audience on a journey of the ever-changing lake, capturing its essence not only through the seasons but also by the day and hour. “The reflective power of music, word, and image reminds us of the lake’s integral role in our lives,” Soderstrom said.

The August 2 Ravinia presentation describes Lakenotes as a unique artistic journey born from the collaboration of three artists, each offering a distinctive creative perspective. Kathryn Haydon provides lyrical expressions of the lake’s moods, while Lincoln Schatz showcases its vast palette through videography and photography. Stacy Garrop’s contemporary chamber piece mirrors the natural rhythms and textured soundscape of the seasonal changes.

Parker Nelson, director of arts and administration for Black Moon Trio, explained that the trio, consisting of Zarraga on violin, Nelson on horn, and Vigil on piano, performed the music, curating a program that weaves together contributions from all collaborators. “With recent updates to the Sandra K. Crown Theater, Ravinia has become an ideal venue for multimedia performances, enabling us to offer a truly immersive experience,” Nelson said.

A central piece, Stacy Garrop’s Tracing Waves Across a Year, was performed alongside other works like Mainframe Tropics by Mason Bates, Horn Trio by Carson Cooman, and Probuzení Perel (Awakening of Pearls) by Jiří Pazour. Garrop drew inspiration from Kathryn Haydon’s book Unsalted Blue Sunrise: Poems of Lake Michigan (2023). “The poems’ structure guided my musical forms, capturing autumn skies, restless waves, and winter’s icy silence,” Garrop explained.

Joanna Rolek, executive director of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce, attended the performance and found herself moved by how the music mirrored water’s ripple and rhythm. Nelson noted that the concert’s blending of auditory and visual elements was heightened by spontaneous musical improvisation on stage. “We improvised in response to Schatz’s photographs,” Nelson shared.

Haydon reflected on the significance of Lake Michigan for Chicago residents, especially those on the north shore. “The lake is a part of our identity,” she said. Schatz agreed, describing a shift from viewing the lake as a mere subject to recognizing it as a collaborative participant. “It becomes more than a visual motif,” Schatz added.

This article was written by Gina Grillo, a freelancer for Pioneer Press.