Oregon Heritage Commission Honors The Watershed Rock Opera with Award of Excellence.

May 29

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Sense of Place:

By Sarah Fox

Hood River, Ore., May 29, 2026— The Oregon Heritage Commission has honored The Watershed Rock Opera with an Oregon Heritage Award of Excellence, recognizing the project’s innovative approach to storytelling and heritage preservation.

The multimedia performance, which was conceived of and produced by Gorge local Sarah Fox, featured more than twenty local musicians, performers, and storytellers. Its five original music compositions were written and arranged by Gorge composer Erik Kaneda. “Reviewers commended this project for centering local voices and the innovative way of telling the community story through a multimedia performance,” said Katie Henry, coordinator for the Oregon Heritage Commission. “Award recipients reflect efforts and activities that are exemplary and go above and beyond ... serving as a model for heritage preservation work in Oregon.”

Created as part of the 15th anniversary season of the Sense of Place program, The Watershed Rock Opera followed the local watershed — from sky to river — to highlight a range of Gorge voices and experiences. It included perspectives from two tribal members, a wildlife biologist, an orchardist, and public works employees. Each of the five musical movements featured a combination of multimedia elements, including recorded interviews, video, images, and live performers, creating an immersive portrait of place and community.

The Watershed Rock Opera was performed live to three sold-out audiences at the Columbia Center for the Arts on April 11-13, 2025. A recording can be viewed at senseofplacegorge.org (by clicking on “Rock Opera”). Initial support for the project came from Oregon Humanities, which honored Fox as a 2024 Community Storytelling Fellow. Additional support for The Watershed Rock Opera was provided by the Gorge Community Foundation, Visit Hood River, The Roundhouse Foundation, Hood River Cultural Trust, the Healthy Community Collective, and individual donors.

About Sense of Place:

Sense of Place is a Gorge non-profit dedicated to exploring the region’s cultural and natural heritage through storytelling, public programs, and community events. Sustained by the generosity of sponsors, audiences, and grantors, Sense of Place has proudly served the public for 16 years.