Like all organizations in Blaine, The Pacific Arts Association’s (PAA) 2021 year was significantly impacted by the pandemic. Our major event, The Blaine Harbor Music Festival and Jazz Camp, was canceled as a live session because of Covid-19.
We started 2020 with high hopes of being able to present a “normal” summer camp, but these dreams were soon overtaken by the reality that Covid had not disappeared sufficiently. We made a tough decision early in the year and began planning for an alternative “Virtual Camp.”
Fortunately, many of our faculty members had become techno-wizards having mastered the intricacies of teaching via Zoom and other virtual platforms.
Using the same July camp date, we were able to present a week’s worth of remarkable virtual classes that were very well received. The enthusiasm of our teachers, under the leadership of Nick Biello, was remarkable. One of the most amazing offerings was a concert presented by 17 students from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Unable to attend school in person, they played from their homes all over the world. Although many of them had never met their band mates, through the wonders of technology, their individual instruments were blended together seamlessly in melody, pitch and rhythm. The results were truly amazing and their passion for their creations made the experience all the more inspiring.
Happily, virtually all of our gifted faculty members have indicated that they are eager to get back to a live camp experience in 2022. Monetary support from the Blaine community has been exceptionally generous and plans are well under way of next summer’s live opening day on July 10.
So get your vaccinations and boosters, and we will look forward to seeing you at the 2022 Blaine Harbor Music Festival and Camp.
Bryan Johnson, Pacific Arts Association president
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