Longtime Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival supporter Joyce Burghardt would have turned 100 years old on January 22, 2022. She passed away on October 19, 2021, but her generous spirit lives on in the form of free OICMF “Friends of Joyce” tickets for young people 18 and under and their families.
Joyce was an avid supporter of music for all young people on Orcas Island, championing music in the public schools as one of the founders of the Music Advocacy Group. She and her family are part of Orcas Island history, having owned and run the Crescent Beach Cottages in the 1950s. She was involved in musical pursuits during that era as an original member of Orcas Singers; she also taught local teens proper dinner dance etiquette in the Parish Hall and sewed costumes for Margaret Porter’s Dance Recitals.
Joyce’s family created the Friends of Joyce Fund in memory of her irrepressible belief that lifelong exposure to music enhances everyone’s lives. To that end, this fund will provide children and their families free tickets to OICMF concerts and events they would like to attend.
Young people and their families are encouraged to request Friends of Joyce tickets throughout the year. Main Stage concerts at the summer Festival are for ages 6 and up.
For more information and to request tickets, please contact OICMF at or call (360) 376-6636 and say “I’m a Friend of Joyce!”