30 July 4 • 2019 jn music arts&life SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Interlochen Legacy A s the Interlochen Arts Festival gets into full swing — with concerts, comedy and dramatizations — memories about the Interlochen Center for the Arts abound. Personal recollections are held by former campers and year- round students, some going on to pursue successful careers in the arts and others deciding on different fields but maintaining their artistic interests. Personal recollections also are important to those who have been in the audi- ence for one or more programs. Training and entertaining at the northern Michigan enclave began in 1928. Pianist Roman Rabinovich, who recently appeared at this year’ s fes- tival, is likely to have heard about the center from his father-in-law, clarinetist Franklin Cohen, who was a camper encouraged by his New York family and returning much later to teach master classes. Both are representative of talented members of the Jewish community who have enjoyed participating as well as watching those achieving stardom. Still to take the northern Michigan stage this summer are singers Reba McIntire and Diana Ross, writer Aja Gabel, the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Pacifica Quartet and comedians making up The Capitol Steps, among many others. Pianist Miriam Guten of Dallas attended summer camp during the 1940s with her sister, the late actress Charlotte Rae, and still takes to the keyboard. Her mem- ories have been communicated over many years to daughter Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor for the Jewish News. “I’ ve been involved with music most of my life,” says the pianist, who was raised in Wisconsin and started playing piano at a very young age. “I entertained the military during the Korean War; I compose music, and I’ ve been a musical director for the profes- sional stage. “The classes at Interlochen were really good, and many of our Miriam Guten teachers were famous. I learned so much from com- poser Ferde Grofé, who wrote the Grand Canyon Suite, and pianist Percy Grainger. “I got to perform at Interlochen and take part in outdoor sports during the after- noon — and I gained 10 pounds each summer there. My mother was not too happy.” Aaron Jonah Lewis, who grew up and still lives in Michigan, went to Interlochen in the 1990s and has built a career playing fid- dle and banjo, both solo and with groups, such as The Lovestruck Balladeers. His summer performance schedule this year ranges from an appearance at The Ark in Ann Arbor to a performance at The Frontier Home in Seattle. “The people at Interlochen are so passionate about art,” says Lewis, who was a violin perfor- mance major later introduced to folk styles by a friend met through a Habonim Dror program in Israel. Lewis, who has been part of dozens of recordings, from blue- grass to contemporary, also teach- es. His workshops have been held at the Royal Scottish Academy TOP: Interlochen World Youth Symphony Orchestra in performance. BELOW: Ari Axelrod studied acting with Anne Cooper at Interlochen. RIGHT: Now he’ s performing cabaret shows in New York. Memories abound for the camp Up North that focuses on the arts. COURTESY INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS