About Wilder Frets:
For the inaugural season, Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness will tour across the state of Oregon from August 1–October 1, 2026. Led by classical guitar virtuoso and artistic director Tye Austin, the series replaces the traditional concert hall with immersive wilderness landscapes—including state parks, farms, ranches, wineries, hot spring resorts, and other unique locations throughout the state. Audiences experience each performance through wireless headphone technology, allowing them to move freely and explore the surrounding landscape within a quarter-mile radius as the music accompanies their wanderings through each Wilder setting.
About this Site:
Silver Falls State Park stretches across the western foothills of Oregon’s Cascade Range, where lush temperate rainforest, volcanic canyons, and cascading waterfalls define one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic natural landscapes. Formed by ancient lava flows and centuries of erosion, the park protects more than 9,000 acres of dense forest shaped by the waters of Silver Creek and its tributaries. Towering Douglas fir, western hemlock, and bigleaf maple thrive in the cool, moisture-rich climate, while winding trails lead visitors through moss-covered ravines and behind dramatic waterfalls along the renowned Trail of Ten Falls. For thousands of years, this region has been home to Indigenous peoples whose lives were deeply connected to the forests and waterways of the Willamette Valley and Cascade foothills. Today, Silver Falls State Park remains a treasured destination where visitors hike beneath towering trees, experience the power of cascading water, and immerse themselves in the timeless beauty of Oregon’s forested landscape.
About the Artist:
Oregon-born classical guitarist and composer Tye Austin, M.M., is the Artistic Director of Wilder Frets, a concert series that brings world-class classical guitar performances into natural wilderness settings. With ancestral ties to Franco-Spanish pirates of the Caribbean, he draws on a deep cultural connection to Spanish and Latin American repertoire, shaping his interpretations with distinctive authenticity and depth. Praised by NBC News for making “the guitar sing like it was invented only to be in his hands,” Austin is an internationally recognized virtuoso guitarist whose career includes appearances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall, performances for global leaders at the United Nations, and international residencies and tours across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He was also hired as the principal classical guitarist for Royal Caribbean International cruise lines. He holds a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. In his spare time, he can be found surfing, fly-fishing, foraging, or skinny-dipping in geo-thermal hot springs.