In a great green field overlooking beautiful Acadia National Park, there sits an iconic barn in rural Maine, but unlike the barn in Margaret Wise Brown’s famous children’s book, the sounds from this barn do not involve pigs or cows. Instead, the sounds from this barn come from pianos, cellos, guitars, and singing human voices. The barn at the Surry Arts and Events Center in Surry, Maine has a long and storied history that involves Japan, Russia, music, and a classical pianist from Julliard, who, after serving in World War II, bought a farm in Maine and turned it into a world cultural center for music and the arts.
Walter Nowick grew up on a potato farm in New York with his Russian immigrant parents. He studied piano at Julliard and would spend his summers in Maine studying piano further with his teacher from Julliard. During World War II, Nowick served in the Pacific and witnessed the horrific aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He would later return to Japan for 16 years to study the culture and learn traditional Zen practices. Nowick, a student of the world, could speak several languages, play classical piano, and became a teacher of Japanese Zen practices. He brought all of this experience to a farm in a tiny Maine town. From there, he tried to make the world a better place.
During the 1980s, Nowick, who was concerned about the Cold War and the possibility of nuclear holocaust, decided that music was the best way to bridge cultures. He brought Russian musicians and singers to Maine and founded the Surry Opera Company right there on a farm in Maine in 1985.
The Surry Opera Company became internationally known. Members toured Russia—and the world—and Nowick’s dream of bringing cultures became a reality. The Surry Opera Company was featured in The New York Times and by Peter Jennings on World News Tonight.
When Nowick passed away at the age of 87 in 2013, his friend and mentee, Alan Wittenberg, inherited the barn, the farm, and the dream. Wittenberg works diligently to keep that dream alive in Surry. “I have worked hard,” Wittenberg said, “not out of obligation but because I saw the magic happen here.”
Today, during every beautiful Maine summer, you will find musicians from all over the country and the world performing on the small stage in the barn with a big heart. I had the opportunity to attend a cello and piano concert in the barn this year, and it was a beautiful experience. The wood beams of the barn seem to hold the history, and that grand piano soothes the soul. The quality and richness of the sound in the barn is as profound as the history of the barn itself.
Wittenberg says he hopes to continue to grow the offerings each year, and he would also like to see the farm return to a working farm. For now though, you can visit the Surry Arts and Event Center website to find out more information about the barn’s history, ticket purchases, and season schedules. There are also rentable cottages on the site.
The barn in Surry is so rich with history. I am in awe of the amazing work Nowick and then Wittenberg have done. Wittenberg said, “If the world was all good and wholesome, there would be this kind of thing everywhere.”
I couldn’t agree more, and you can be a part of this magical place. In 2023, the summer is packed with fantastic concerts in the barn. Because we love classical music here at Farmer-ish, here are some classical highlights.
On July 9, the Essex Piano Trio will be performing Schubert, Mozart, and more. On July 30, the Silver Duo will perform, and you don’t want to miss them. This cello and piano team are mesmerizing, and the cellist is my son’s cello teacher. On August 20, violinist Amos Lawrence will perform, and on August 30, the Tough End String Band will be performing some folk fusion.
You can find the full Summer 2023 schedule here. I hope you can find at least one concert to attend this summer. The Surry Arts and Event center provides a great Maine musical experience.
*This piece originally appears in the Farmer-ish print annual Volume II.
Photo credits: Crystal Sands