Reibach composes song to commemorate Oregon State's 150th anniversary

Tribal Lands Manager and multiple Native American Music Awards recipient Jan Looking Wolf Reibach wrote “A Special Place” to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of Oregon State University.

Reibach performed the song, joined by the Oregon State Choraliers, at Oregon State President Edward Ray’s “State of the University” address held Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. Approximately 800 people attended the annual event and the video of his performance can be watched on YouTube at https://youtu.be/3mSrxpi5LGM.

“I really tried to capture what a beautiful place Oregon State is,” Reibach said. “I was inspired by the journey students take to get here and the dedication of faculty.”

Reibach is a Native American flute instructor at the Oregon State College of Liberal Arts.

He said he spent more than 200 hours working on the song, which is more time than he has spent on any individual song on his 22 commercial releases.

Reibach’s great-great-grandfather was Chief Joseph Sangretta of the Santiam Kalapuya who have lived in the mid-Willamette Valley for more than 14,000 years.

Oregon State Vice President of University Relations and Marketing Steve Clark said the university commissioned the song to help commemorate “OSU150,” the university’s 150^th anniversary that is a 15-month celebration that includes a series of events and activities through October.

“The song poignantly captures what we are about here at Oregon State,” Clark said. “We provide the chance for learning, economic opportunity and prosperity for all Oregonians and our state’s communities. We hope to hear this song through the next 150 years of the university.”