Alan Rawson, a virtuosic violinist whose 200 concerts in his Chimacum home became one of Port Townsend’s best-kept secrets, died unexpectedly of heart failure June 20. He was 68. 

Performing as the Rawson Duo, Alan and his wife Sandy researched, planned, and performed concerts of 19th and 20th century music for violin and piano, luring hundreds of classical music enthusiasts to their home. 

Alan Rawson was born in 1953 to English parents who had settled in Canada, then moved to San Carlos, California. He took up the violin at junior college in California, studied music at San Francisco State University and earned his doctorate in violin performance at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

He taught music at the University of Idaho and at Concordia College in Minnesota before settling into an academic career at Minnesota State University in Moorhead. He taught upper strings and directed the university orchestra as well as serving 20 years as concertmaster and featured soloist for the Fargo Moorhead Symphony. There he met Sandy, an accomplished pianist and accompanist who became his musical partner, fellow traveler, and soulmate.

On retirement, the couple moved to Port Townsend, where Sandy had worked summers on the staff of the Olympic Music Festival. In 2005, they bought a home on seven acres alongside Chimacum Creek, and became the Rawson Duo. Alan remodeled the living room into a concert venue seating up to 50. For each concert, he searched the internet for lesser-known compositions for violin and piano, then planned programs on national or regional themes – English compositions, then French or South American, etc.

Each concert opened with Rawson’s informal discourse on the history of the composers and compositions. And each was followed by a reception with extraordinary hors d’oeuvres themed to the program and lovingly prepared by Sandy, an accomplished chef. 

Over the course of 14 years, the Rawsons planned about eight programs per year and performed some 200 concerts. Programs are archived on their website at rawsonduo.com.

Meanwhile, they also explored the Northwest waters in their 21-foot Westerly sloop, including a grand voyage up the Inside Passage to Alaska and back. They also toured the Northwest, England, and Northern Europe on their tandem bicycle, pedaling thousands of miles and camping along the way.

Rawson was also an accomplished mechanic and troubleshooter capable of repairing everything from bicycles and outboard motors to tractors and marine diesels.

Survivors include his wife, Sandy at their Chimacum home; son Ian Rawson of Ridgecrest, Calif.; brother Brian Rawson in Scotland; and sister Patricia Shaffner of Poulsbo, Wash.

At his request, there will be no services.