Community Connection Through the Gift of Music
By Russell Clepper • Photos by Kevin Foy
We’re celebrating 15 years,” said Cynthia Mason. “Can you believe it?” For the President of the Board for the Oak Harbor Music Festival (OHMF), this Labor Day weekend tradition is “all about connection.” It’s the connection between the musicians and the audience, between audience members themselves, and between all the volunteers who collectively give more than 3,500 hours of their time each year to make it all happen. For Board Member Larry Mason, Cynthia’s husband and director of music for the festival, there is a good reason why the connection occurs. It’s right there in the slogan for the festival—music inspires.
“Music is often called the international language,” he said. “A way for people to communicate beyond race, gender, or creed. In times like these, it can be difficult to find common ground, but music gives us a place where we can meet. It has a way of bringing people together, creating a shared space where we can connect and simply enjoy being human.”
