Harrington news

Harrington resident Rebecca Hardy is a young, talented musician who was home-schooled in K-12, primarily by her mother, and participated in the Running Start program at Skagit Valley College, receiving two AA degrees before transferring to Eastern Washington University at Cheney in 2007.

Rebecca's mother played the violin and loved classical music, which accustomed her ears to the classical repertoire. Her grandmother also played the piano.

One day when she was eight years of age her father asked her if she would like to have a piano in the house, but there were conditions placed before her if she truly wanted the piano. She knew then that the piano had those white buttons with strange black buttons spaced in between. There would be hours of practice, but little Becky made the commitment. She was the first-born child of Mark and Carolee Hammer, and later she was blessed with a brother and a sister, who were also home-schooled following the same program of accelerated learning. Hardy praised the early instructors she had in music, Frances Hildebrand and Marilyn Brossard in Burlington, Wash.

She attended Eastern Washington University from 2007 to 2011, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. Amid her fast-paced schedule of courses and performances, she met Stephen Hardy in Dr. Randy Wagner's choir class in 2009 and married him in December of 2010. By the 2011-12 school year, she was offered a paid position as choir accompanist with Wagner.

In the studio of Dr. Jody Graves, Hardy earned both a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and a Master of Music degree in Music Performance from EWU. During this 2012-2014 period she was a graduate student assistant, piano class teacher, collaborative pianist and chamber musician.

Rebecca Hardy has performed at three Grand Interludes in the Harrington Opera House in which she has planned the event, planned the music and participated in the advertising campaigns for the events in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Rebecca has maintained a music studio for five years, where she has endeavored to share her love of music and her aptitude for teaching. This year, she dedicates three days a week to her music students. Other areas of enjoyment are knitting and reading, and a hope to return to swimming, a sport in which she lettered all four years at Stanwood High School. She spends considerable time in her garden but enjoys it more for the purpose it serves in putting fresh produce on her table and getting her outside than the actual working in the dirt.

This allows her more hours for working with her music in creative endeavors; she loves to do concert programming. From 2014 to the present she has been dedicated to "Music Reclaimed," her innovative collection of music and photos that "reclaims classical music for God's glory with teaching, scripture and uniquely-created programs of classical music." Hardy chose the music to fit the theme "Creation," chose the photos and images and created the Power-Point presentation, compiled the Scriptures and teaching points, and acted on the idea of a cohesive event. She believes that music is part of the ministry that God has for her.

"Music was created by God to glorify Him in worship. It has the ability to move us emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Academia and popular culture have discouraged us from being active, connected listeners. Music often serves the musician or the audience more than the creator of it. God has used and can use any musical offering; many classical composers were active in their churches and wrote music for His glory. The goal of 'Music Reclaimed' is to turn classical music from an abstract display of skill to meaningful worship that gives God the glory. Music Reclaimed unites Scripture, commentaries, and classical piano music in an integrated presentation that allows for worship, contemplation and encouragement."

The event held Sunday evening, October 18, at Heritage Church in Odessa was attended by about 35-40 people. Hardy played an hour program on the church's grand piano called, "Music Reclaimed: The Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars." The audience participated by reading selected portions of Scripture at specified times. The program included: He Is Exalted/Praise Him, Praise Him (Susan Naylor Callaway) and the Partita No. 4 in D Major (Johann Sebastian Bach) with its seven movements. A transcription of Wagner's aria, "O du mein holder Abendstern" (Franz Liszt); followed, as well as "Stars, stars, brightly shine" (Bela Bartok), "Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor" (Ludwig van Beethoven) and "Be Still My Soul/Be Still and Know" (Mark Hayes). A set representing the four seasons consisted of: "May Night, op. 27 no. 4" (Selim Palmgren); "Automne, op. 35 no. 2" (Cecile Chaminade); "January: At the Fireside, op. 37b no. 1" (Pyotr Tchaikovsky) and "Rustle of Spring, op. 32 no. 3" (Christian Sinding). The conclusion of the performance was "And Can it Be? (Marilynn Ham) and another Wagner paraphrase "Walhalla aus Der Ring des Nibelungen" (Franz Liszt). Hardy has quoted J.S. Bach, "Where there is devotional music, God with His grace is always present." Hardy acknowledged that this event was not widely advertised but that she hopes to have a repeat performance in the coming months. The music and the intended goal of "worship" were a blessing to those in attendance.

In addition to Hardy performing the three Grand Interludes in the Harrington Opera House, she also has played locally at the Christian Heritage School, for MusicFest Northwest in Spokane, for KPBX, numerous collaborative recitals at EWU and for local church services. She Hardy has also performed for Gilbert Kalish (Stonybrooke), Margo Garrett (Juilliard), John Nakamatsu (Van Cliburn Piano Competition winner), Pilar Leyva (Corpas University in Columbia), and Alan Chow (Northwestern).