Kishi Bashi rehearses with Jun Campion at One Stone, while Olivia Walker and other students and families watch and listen.
Last month, Friends of Minidoka welcomed acclaimed Japanese American musician Kishi Bashi for three performances in Idaho to commemorate the 2024 Day of Remembrance.
Before the performance and screening of his award-winning Omoiyari: A Song Film, at Boise’s Egyptian Theater, Kishi Bashi met and rehearsed at One Stone with a local string quartet, featuring One Stone’s music coach, Jun Campion.
The following reflection was written by Olivia Walker, Lab51 class of 2026 and was originally published by the Friends of Minidoka.
Written by
Olivia Walker,
Lab51 Class of 2026
Being a student at One Stone, opportunities like this are not uncommon. As a student whose interests are all over the board, I have utilized this space to test and challenge myself. “Education” has become an individualized word to me, meaning that it looks different from person to person. That’s because at Lab51, I have the tools to learn and explore whatever I am interested in – including music, history, natural sciences, outdoor safety, people, and different ways of living. I love each of these topics because I took opportunities to explore them in as much depth as I found interesting.
When I heard a musician was coming to rehearse at One Stone, I was intrigued. In the days leading up to the rehearsal, I researched the history behind the stories he would tell, to get a better understanding. I’m embarrassed to admit that I had no idea about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The fact that I had no idea about this part of history, but neither do many Americans, was jarring.
