Celebrating 25 years with Rachel Swerdlow

In celebration of her 25th anniversary, Rachel authored the following passage, which is also included in the 2026 summer program book.

Rachel Swerdlow
Violist

Although I’m celebrating my 25th year with the Festival, my first summer here was 40 years ago in 1987. It was just a few months after I started my tenure in the viola section of the Seattle Symphony. In those days, most of us stayed the entire eight weeks, so it was quite the bonding experience. We even followed up with a four-or-so concert tour around Wyoming. My roommate (in those days we shared rooms) was Jenny Ross, and we’ve been friends ever since!

I took a long break from the Festival starting in 1994, when my triplets were born. In the early days, it was challenging to move them across state lines. It’s an understatement to say that I was thrilled to be included in the Festival again. On my first trip back, Teton Village was almost unrecognizable. The Mangy Moose was in its accustomed place, but Walk Festival Hall was no longer the furthest building to the north. It was very disorienting.

My favorite memories are in two categories. The first, of course, is the music. The chance to play great concerts for such appreciative audiences with talented and committed colleagues who are all so like-minded is an amazing thing. Everyone has the same wonderful priorities. The most memorable concerts for me are anything by Mahler conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. These symphonies feel to me like being in the great outdoors, and what better setting could there be than Jackson Hole to experience the beautiful melodies, harmonies and rhythms of this genius conducted by someone who brings it all to life like no one else?

My other favorite part of GTMF is hiking with friends old and new. Some I’ve known for all these decades and others I only met last year. Lately I’ve started a new habit of zooming out of Thursday rehearsals to get to the Jackson Senior Center in time for Duplicate Bridge. The people are lovely but also devilishly good bridge players. Is there a better way to spend one’s summer? I can’t think of any.