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Wisdom of Columbia County Originally published in The Chronicle Vol. 140 Jan. 19, 2021 JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Poems and music have been combined to create The Wisdom of Columbia County, an original long form musical composition about the history of the county. The effort is a collaboration between composer Kevin Bryant Lay, lyricist Margaret Trenchard-Smith and the Artistic Director of the Columbia Chorale of Oregon-River City Singers, and the choir’s Board Chair Marilyn Allen. The collaborators are scheduled to present one of the sections of the composition during the Kiwanis Club of St. Helens Zoom meeting Thursday, Jan. 20. In the following conversation, the Chronicle gets insight into the project from Margaret Trenchard-Smith. The Chronicle: Why was this project developed? Margaret TrenchardSmith: I joined the Columbia Chorale of Oregon-River City Singers late in 2017, was inspired by its talented Artistic Director, Alice Rice Boyer, and volunteered to assist her. Over her dining room table, we discussed her plans for the choir. When I’m comfortable with someone, I recite poetry-Gerard Manly Hopkins, on that day. Alice and I both wished we could commission original music for the choir to Hopkins’ poetry. We took this
idea to the Board in March of 2018. The Board said, “Great idea-but we’d like the poetry to be about Columbia County” and charged me to find a poet. That May, fires in Chapman caused me to write a poetic fragment. I took this to the Board and asked if they’d approve the poet. The Board said “Yes,” and I said, “Well, I’m the poet.” I offered a concept called The Wisdom of Columbia County on the history of the county told through characters. Alice requested that it move through the Native American past to the present. I carried this out. In March of 2019, composer Kevin Bryant Lay (of LOOP’s We Met in Moscow and other works) agreed to take on the project, by fortuitous circumstance. The project was formally commissioned in January of 2020 and is now virtually completed. The Chronicle: Describe this project and its elements? Trenchard-Smith: In form, the project is a cantata in seven poems interpreted musically, each framed by prose. It takes the history of Columbia County through seven stories involving “wisdom” that is sometimes straightforward and at other times tongue-in-cheek or tragically overturned, taking the audience from the Native American past through the early navigators and others to the present. I don’t want to give too much away! Kevin Bryant Lay has written a sublime score for voices and instruments.
Metro Creative Connection
A section of the musical composition Wisdom of Columbia County will be presented at this week’s meeting of the Kiwanis Club of St. Helens.
Trenchard-Smith: The collaborators hope to convey a love of the county and an appreciation of the chief elements of its storied past, the desire to draw people together in our shared identity, and the resolve to preserve its natural beauty through the ages. This work was written for the present and for posterity.
Trenchard-Smith: A deep contentment from conceiving the project and carrying out its literary aspect, and a much deeper awe of the creative capacity of the composer and gratitude that he has put so much work and talent into this at a time which has been personally and collectively challenging. Gratitude to my husband, too, who took on the cost of the commission when a large grant which was sought for the project failed to be awarded.
The Chronicle: What do you take away from your involvement in this project?
The Chronicle: How did the collaboration for this project come about?
The Chronicle: What do you hope people take away from listening to The Wisdom?
Trenchard-Smith: The desire to commission an original work came about through a conversation between Alice Rice Boyer and myself, and the project became centered on Columbia County at the request of the Board of the Columbia Chorale of Oregon--River City Singers. To watch the Zoom presentation during the Kiwanis Club of St. Helens noon meeting, visit https:// us06web.zoom.us/j/36849 09291?pwd=UEtZY3p3U 0pWTVVzMzNJQkxoYjQ0 UT09.
From the Heart: Valentines for veterans Originally published in The Chief Vol. 130 Jan 21, 2021
Local veterans will be receiving special “from the JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
heart” valentine greetings in February. Over 25 volunteers gathered at Rainier Senior Center Tuesday, Jan. 17 for RSVP’s 7th annual ‘Valentines for Vets.’ The service project is designed to honor the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. Columbia County RSVP is an AmeriCorps Seniors project sponsored lo-
cally by Columbia River Fire & Rescue. “The Rainier volunteers hand-crafted 231 beautiful valentines from the heart to thank veterans for their service to our country,” RSVP Director Monica Cade said. “Jenny Hicks from Avamere Living put together bags of candies to give to veterans along with the valentines.” The 2022 My Fair Lady court will help deliver the valentines to veterans throughout Columbia County the first two weeks of February. “Thank you to all who participated and gave from the heart to show appreciation to our veterans,” Cade said. In the following conversation, Cade gives us insight
into the project. The Chief: When did this project first start and why? Monica Cade: Valentines for Vets first started in 2015 as an idea for a service project to honor MLK Day National Day of Service. Because of the day being close to Valentine’s Day, we decided to host an event to make valentines for veterans, and to provide a fun day for seniors to get creative and give back to others. Volunteers at this first event created beautiful one-of-a-kind valentines designed to thank veterans for their service. Every See VALENTINES Page 4
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The Chief
Courtesy photo from Monica Cade
These hand-crafted valentines will be delivered to local veterans in February.
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