In the fall of 1986, a small group of music lovers got together to create an association that would provide music education for local children and a venue for Methow Valley residents to perform classical music. This group consisted of Mary Thompson, Dee Goodsell, Glenda Horne, Carol Caulfield, Paula McGowan and Nancy Lintz.
At first the group operated under the auspices of the Okanogan Historical Society. They built a band shell on the Shafer Museum property with grant money and donated labor. For several years after the grand opening Methow Valley residents enjoyed free concerts at the Shafer Museum location.
In 1987, excitement was high as plans were made to have a summer music camp for children. Christine Cherrington spearheaded this effort with Dr. Gil Seeley from Lewis and Clark University as the music director. The camp was called “The Methow Valley Music Festival” and ran successfully for three years. Because of Chris Cherrington’s untimely death, the Cascadia Board lost its energetic director and the summer festival was discontinued.
In 1992 Cascadia received its 501(c)(3) non-profit status and continued to provide music for the valley under the guidance of Carolyn Sullivan as President. Board members came and went, but Dee Goodsell played a crucial role in the direction of the organization from the beginning. She followed Carolyn as president and in July of 1992 saw the fulfillment of a dream when a second band shell was built in the Twisp City Park.
In 1998, Pam and Terry Hunt stepped in to manage the organization and they founded the Pipestone School of Music, Cascadia’s educational branch. Throughout the 2000’s the new music school grew to include private lessons in strings, winds and piano, the Pipestone Orchestra (a community ensemble), Pipestone Youth Orchestra, School Strings program (with assistance from the Methow Valley Public School Funding Alliance) in the public schools, and a summer music camp.
In 2025, Cascadia has solidified and clarified the relationship with the endeavors of Pipestone, to achieve better transparency, and ensure best practices. Pam and Terry Hunt’s ensembles, Pipestone’s youth and adult orchestras and other educational initiatives remain under Cascadia Music’s mission and fiscal commitments. We collaborate to ensure access to scholarships for music studies and participation in our programs for all people, regardless of age, income, gender, identity and cultural background.