Black Art Song: A Night To Remember
Baritone Kenneth Overton and Sound Liberator Joe Williams perform to a transfixed audience at the Portland Art Museum. (R. Hadiashar 2024)
This past weekend, Resonance presented Black Art Song at the Portland Art Museum.
With music curated by Resonance Ensemble’s Damien Geter, the performance was a wealth of artistic excellence—from the dynamic and vibrant works on display in the Black Artists of Oregon exhibit (curated by Intisar Abioto), the riveting performances from Grammy-award winning baritone Kenneth Overton and Sound Liberator Joe Williams at the piano, and reflections by curator Damien Geter and Resonance board member and commissioned-poet A. Mimi Sei.
As we reflect on this powerful evening, we encourage you to explore our Enhance Your Experience page, which includes detailed information on the performers, composers, writers, artists, and the driving mission which supported the program.
Damien Geter welcomes all to the Portland Art Museum. (R. Hadiashar 2024)
“Tonight we celebrate the profound legacy of Black composers and poets who have made significant contributions to the art song canon,” said Co-Artistic Advisor and curator of the concert Damien Geter, who welcomed the packed room and then quickly introduced the performers, Baritone Kenneth Overton and Sound Liberator Joe Williams.
Sound Liberator Joe Williams and Baritone Kenneth Overton (R. Hadiashar, 2024)
The concert opened with a powerful a cappella rendition of the spiritual “Over My Head.” Starting from the back of the gallery and slowly processing through the audience towards the stage, Overton’s deeply emotive and enveloping baritone voice immediately captured the attention of the audience.
Kenneth Overton (R. Hadiashar 2024)
Overton shared his personal connections to the pieces that were performed. Before a powerhouse performance of works by H. Leslie Adams, he shared, “Adams is one of my all-time favorite composers. At age 90, he is still putting black notes on white paper, and it is an honor to be sharing his music with you all.”
With texts by Langston Hughes, Morgan Collins, and James Weldon Johnson, these four dynamic selections from the Nightsongs collection proved to be an audience favorite.
Board Member A. Mimi Sei opens the second half of the concert with inspiring words. (R. Hadiashar 2024)
After intermission, Resonance Ensemble board member and commissioned-poet, A. Mimi Sei, announced the official launch of the Donors for Black Artistry initiative. Seeking to offer support for Black artists across a wide variety of artistic disciplines, Black Art Song is the inaugural concert supported by the program. “We can’t just be good listeners,” stated Sei. “We have to move—move our minds, our bodies—towards action that inspires change. Resonance does that with programs like this.”
Starting the second half, Sound Liberator Joe Williams performed his own arrangement of Florence Price’s Night at the piano. A gorgeous and evocative rendition of the work, Williams’ sparkling instrumental was received with thunderous applause from the gallery.
Overton and Williams concluded the concert with two powerful settings of spirituals, impressively arranged by David Ragland (Steal Away) and Timothy Amulkeke (Stand the Storm).
Sound Liberator Joe Williams. (Photo: R. Hadiashar 2024)
The duo dancing during the first half finale: H. Leslie Adams “Creole Girl” (R. Hadiashar 2024)
With guests staying long after the show to discuss both artwork and music, Black Art Song proved to not only be a powerful program of music, but a deeply moving evening of community and celebration of Black artistry.
““Thank you so much for the amazing concert last night. Surrounded by art and Kenneth Overton’s powerful voice was a very special experience. Not every singer can mesmerize an audience in the way he can.””
S. Renee Mitchell, Chisao Hata, and Ronni Lacroute are all smiles from the front row. (R. Hadiashar 2024)
Resonance Ensemble is deeply grateful to the Portland Art Museum for their support and for the incredible curation of the Black Artists of Oregon gallery (curator Intisar Abioto) which inspired the program, along with artists Kenneth Overton and Joe Williams, concert curator Damien Geter, our sponsors and generous donors who made the program possible, and—of course—all those who joined us for this incredible program as audience members.
A happy group of Resonance staff, board members, composers, and supporters surround Kenneth Overton after the concert. (R. Hadiashar, 2024)
UP NEXT
Check out the performances yet to come this spring — we hope to see you there!
AMENDMENT: RIGHTING OUR WRONGS
SUNDAY, MARCH 17 | 2pm | Alberta Rose Theatre
UNDER THE SKIN | SPECIAL SCREENING!
+ a special musical presentation before the show
MONDAY, MARCH 25 | 7pm | Hollywood Theatre
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
FRIDAY, APRIL 5 | 7:30pm | Patricia Reser Center
SATURDAY, APRIL 6 | 7:30pm | The Armory
MISSION 15 | A FIFTEEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
SATURDAY, JUNE 8 | 7:30pm | Winningstad Theatre
Resonance Ensemble named Ensemble-in-Residence at Linfield University
PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble hits the road this week, beginning a semester-long residency of performances and workshops at Linfield University. Known as the Lacroute Composer Readings and Chamber Music Mentorship Program, the residency offers student composers the opportunity to work closely with professional mentor musicians. The first concert of the residency will feature commissions and other works from living composers from across Resonance Ensemble’s 15-year history, and takes place at 7pm on Thursday, February 15th at Linfield’s Vivian A. Bull Music Center, in Delkin Recital Hall.
“The works we are performing are deeply meaningful to Resonance Ensemble and have been impactful on our listeners in Portland, and we’re excited to share them with the Linfield community now,” says Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon. “We are thrilled that Linfield invited us to be in residence this semester so that their composition students will have access to performances and coaching opportunities with Resonance’s professional choral musicians.”
““I’m really grateful for the chance I’ve had to compose for Resonance. Writing music is one of the big passions of my life, and composing for voice is a really unique and compelling world to play in. I’m so excited to work with the Linfield students.”
Composer Workshops, and Performances
Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon, Resonance Ensemble Artistic Director
In addition to the performance, FitzGibbon and Resonance Ensemble’s Cecille Elliott will be conducting a series of educational lectures for student composers at Linfield, sharing their expertise on how to write for voices and mentoring the students as they work on their own choral compositions throughout this semester.
Cecille Elliott, Resonance Ensemble commissioned-composer and vocalist
Elliott, an audience favorite from Resonance Ensemble, is a multifaceted musician specializing in voice, violin, and viola. Her Resonance-commissioned work, We Are Murmurs, premiered at the 2023 Dirty, Stupid Music cabaret–and has quickly become one of Resonance Ensemble’s most-performed works.
Throughout the semester, Linfield composition students will write choral works of their own, which will be workshopped and performed by Resonance Ensemble musicians this spring. Students will have a chance to refine their works throughout the spring, even hearing the full choir read through their works in advance of the concert to receive feedback.
“We are so pleased to welcome Resonance Ensemble to Linfield to work with our students,” says William Campbell, Director of Composition Studies for Linfield University. “This is a great opportunity for our students to hear their works in the hands of true professionals and better understand the possibilities of the human voice.”
The final concert featuring student works will take place on Wednesday, May 8th at 7:30pm, with the public invited to attend.
“We look forward to this semester-long residency at Linfield,” says FitzGibbon. “We’re grateful to Professor Campbell for his vision and looking forward to connecting with his students as they develop their choral artistry.”
The concert is free and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of sponsor Ronni Lacroute.
For more information
Event Information | About Resonance Ensemble
About Cecille Elliott | About Katherine FitzGibbon
Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon
Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon is available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling (503) 427-8701.
UP NEXT | AMENDMENT: RIGHTING OUR WRONGS
Featuring a world premiere by Darrell Grant and A. Mimi Sei, powerful stories from Oregon Remembrance Project’s Taylor Stewart, and unforgettable music by Melissa Dunphy and Joel Thompson.
Resonance Presents: Amendment - Righting Our Wrongs
featuring trailblazing composers, poets, and activists.
PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble announces “Amendment: Righting Our Wrongs,” a concert showcasing dynamic new works that look to the past to inspire a better future. Featuring the Oregon Remembrance Project and the world premiere of From the Book of Sankofa by acclaimed Oregon jazz composer Darrell Grant and poet A. Mimi Sei, this concert will take place on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Alberta Rose Theatre.
“Amendment marries music and narrative that advocates for human rights and social justice.” says Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “The pieces we’ve chosen all express the idea that a deeper understanding of the past is essential for navigating the complexities of the present and forging toward a more hopeful future.”
Composer Darrell Grant. Photo by Rachel Hadiashar.
Audiences will be the first to hear From the Book of Sankofa, a new work commissioned by Resonance Ensemble. This world premiere is composed by critically-acclaimed jazz pianist Darrell Grant (who ‘Gramophone’ calls “a composer of substance”) with poetry by activist and award-winning writer, A. Mimi Sei.
“Darrell and I were inspired by the idea of Sankofa, a Twi word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. The word literally means, ‘Go back and get it.’ I thought about the necessity of learning from memories of the past and rising, with resilience and perseverance, into the future,” Sei describes.
The spirit of Sankofa resonates throughout the concert. Conducted by Resonance Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and Associate Conductor Shohei Kobayashi, the evening also includes:
Works by Joel Thompson, known for his powerful choral work Seven Last Words for the Unarmed and his opera The Snowy Day (being performed by Portland Opera this March).
Melissa Dunphy’s Amendment: Righting Our Wrongs, a piece that juxtaposes voices of the founding fathers with those of minoritized women fighting for universal voting rights, including Ida B. Wells and Stacy Abrams.
Guest performer Nancy Ives will play cello, both on the Grant world premiere and in the Dunphy.
Oregon Remembrance Project’s Taylor Stewart at a recent TEDxPortland.
Taylor Stewart, the visionary founder of the Oregon Remembrance Project, who will share impactful stories throughout the performance, including those of Alonzo Tucker, Oregon’s most widely documented African American victim of lynching. Stewart, known for his thought-provoking TEDx Talk, "How do you reconcile a lynching?," will also highlight the Oregon Remembrance Project's groundbreaking work, aiming to reconcile Oregon's history of racial injustice and pave the way for meaningful social change.
“We look forward to being at this concert,” says Stewart. “This partnership with Resonance Ensemble is a natural alignment of our values, as we are both committed to promoting meaningful social change through our respective contributions to activism.”
“I have been blown away for years by Resonance Ensemble,” says Grant. “It’s an exciting opportunity for me to write for this magnificent group and to use this platform to harness the power of music to create change.”
Tickets for Amendment: Righting Our Wrongs are available now.
Composer Joel Thompson.
Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon and cellist Nancy Ives
Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and composer Darrell Grant are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling (503) 427-8701.
About Oregon Remembrance Project | About Resonance Ensemble
About Darrell Grant | About A. Mimi Sei | About Nancy Ives
About Katherine FitzGibbon | About Shohei Kobayashi
UP NEXT
Check out our other events and happenings this spring!
Resonance Goes to the Movies!
Actress Scarlett Johansson from a scene in Under the Skin.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Resonance announces a new partnership with the Hollywood Theatre to present Under the Skin as part of their Feminist March screening series.
PORTLAND, OR — As part of the ongoing mission to create powerful programs that promote meaningful social change, Resonance announces an exciting partnership with the historic Hollywood Theatre. Music and film lovers are invited to a special screening of the highly-acclaimed science fiction masterpiece, Under the Skin. This not-to-be-missed event is scheduled for Monday, March 25, at 7:00 PM at the iconic Hollywood Theatre.
Resonance Ensemble is no stranger to film. The Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP), launched during the pandemic, has brought their award-winning programming to audiences around the world.
“Through the power of film, we have shared music videos, documentaries, interviews, and other impactful stories with listeners everywhere—which has been particularly important for underrepresented artists,” says Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon. “This collaboration with Hollywood Theatre is a natural progression of our love for impactful storytelling. We are excited to continue to support local filmmakers and film lovers here in Portland.”
All funds raised for Resonance Ensemble during the screening will go directly to supporting the REAP Initiative. Head to the Resonance website to learn more about this important project.
Music video produced by Resonance Ensemble and Oh! Creative Productions.
"We are very excited to partner with Resonance Ensemble in showing Under the Skin for Feminist March this year," says Anthony Hudson, Community Programmer at the Hollywood Theatre. "Like Barbie and Poor Things did in 2023, 2013's Under the Skin similarly analyzes the construction of femininity and horrors of being human—but with the added fun of trapping men in an abyss to eat them, and all set to an incredible, unsettling score by Mica Levi. Honing in on the sonic qualities of the film with Resonance Ensemble adds a new and exciting dimension to this screening."
The facade of the historic Hollywood Theatre
“When Hollywood Theatre suggested we pick a film for their Feminist March series, Under the Skin was at the forefront of my mind,” says co-curator and Resonance staff member Kimberly Osberg. “Not only because it’s a great—if devastating—film, but also because of the fantastic score. The use of sound [and music] to tell this story is revolutionary, and fans of both visual and sonic mediums are going to have a blast.”
About the Film
Loosely adapted from the book of the same name, Jonathan Glazer’s 2013 film Under the Skin follows an alien (Scarlett Johansson) in disguise as a human woman in Scotland—hunting men for prey. Built around a killer performance by Johansson and an unforgettably eerie score by nonbinary composer Mica Levi (JACKIE, ZOLA), Under the Skin reflects the horrors of humanity with sleek style and cosmic creepiness.
This screening may not be suitable for all audiences. For content warnings and parental guidance, visit this link.
Tickets for Under the Skin are available now at hollywoodtheatre.org.
Note to Journalists: Resonance Ensemble’s Katherine FitzGibbon and Hollywood Theatre’s Anthony Hudson are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling (503) 427-8701.
About Hollywood Theatre | About Feminist March | About Resonance Ensemble
UP NEXT
Can’t wait for this event? Check out some of the fantastic programming we have coming up this spring!
Resonance Ensemble to Present Sold Out Evening of Black Art Song at Portland Art Museum
“Never have I felt so safe, seen, and celebrated as I do experiencing this exhibit.
I hope this performance will be the musical equivalent of this space.”
Resonance Ensemble presents a recital of art songs curated by Damien Geter and inspired by Portland Art Museum’s Black Artists of Oregon exhibit
PORTLAND, OR — Portland’s Resonance Ensemble announces Black Art Song, a recital of art songs by Black composers, hosted by the Portland Art Museum at their Black Artists of Oregon exhibit. Acclaimed composer and Resonance Ensemble co-Artistic Advisor Damien Geter curates this art song recital, to be presented Sunday, February 25, 2024.
Baritone Kenneth Overton—known to Resonance audiences from the An African American Requiem world premiere—joins sound liberator Joe Williams at the piano, performing songs by composers Margaret Bonds, Dave Ragland, Adolphus Hailstork, and more in this groundbreaking art + music collaboration.
Kenneth Overton (far right) performing during the world premiere of An African American Requiem. Photo by Rachel Hadiashar
“I’m thrilled to bring our friend Kenneth Overton back to Portland to perform a program that aligns so seamlessly with Intisar’s visionary exhibit at the Portland Art Museum,” Geter shares. “Never have I felt so safe, seen, and celebrated as I do experiencing this exhibit. I hope this performance will be the musical equivalent of this space.”
Resonance returns to the Portland Art Museum, having first collaborated with Portland Art Museum alongside Third Angle New Music for sold-out performances of Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel in 2011 which accompanied a Feldman exhibit.
“The Black Artists of Oregon exhibit considers both the presence and absence of Black artists and the breadth of Black artistic production in Oregon,” says curator Intisar Abioto. “I curated the exhibit with the idea of fostering community and gathering, and the Art Museum and I are thrilled that Resonance will join us and fill the galleries with powerful songs that dialogue with the visual artworks.”
Audiences are invited to download the Black Artists of Oregon activity guide as a supplemental resource for both the concert and the exhibit.
Black Art Song is generously supported by Resonance Donors for Black Excellence, Ronni Lacroute, Anonymous - For the Bachaans, the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Oregon Community Foundation.
>>THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT <<
Join the Waiting List
Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and Artistic Advisor Damien Geter are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling (503) 427-8701.
About the Black Artists of Oregon Exhibit
The Black Artists of Oregon exhibit builds upon exhibition curator Intisar Abioto’s original research since 2018 exploring the lineage and legacy of Black artists in Oregon. The exhibition will continue Abioto’s research, which is grounded in Black American practices of listening, keeping, and passing on each others’ stories.
“Far from isolated or ancillary, Black arts and cultural production in Oregon has been in conversation and interchange with the world, and a part of its arts and cultural movements, all this time,” says Abioto. “Black Artists of Oregon is a heralding of Black presence, interchange, influence, and impact.”
Considering both the presence and absence of Black artists is critical to understanding the breadth of Black artistic production in Oregon—even in the midst of historic exclusion—as well as how the impact of that history affects our understanding of American art history and the history of the Pacific Northwest. This exhibition serves to deepen our awareness of the talented artists who have shaped and inspired artists regionally and nationally, and it will be the first of its kind to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon.
About the Black Excellence in The Arts Initiative
Resonance Ensemble believes that art has the power to change the world. We go beyond conversation, exploring what it means to amplify personal stories, inspire community connections, and galvanize action.
Led by Resonance board member A. Mimi Sei, Resonance is reaching out to donors who support Black Excellence in the Arts and inviting them to sponsor key events in the name of “Resonance Donors for Black Excellence.”
Our goal is to raise $40,000 from a coalition of supporters so that we can offer $10,000 lead sponsorship for four extraordinary concerts—including Black Art Song. Additional gifts beyond our $40,000 goal will underwrite future commissions by Black composers amplifying Black experiences. Visit resonancechoral.org/donors-for-black-excellence today to learn more.
Embrace the call to action. Be a catalyst for change. Champion Black Excellence in the Arts.
FOR FURTHER READING
About Damien Geter | About Kenneth Overton | About Joe Williams
About Resonance Ensemble | About Portland Art Museum
Please note: Tickets for this event are SOLD OUT. Thanks to generous support of the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP), selections from the performance will be made available online for free later this year.
Commission Stories: Championing A. Mimi Sei
Composer Kenji Bunch (left) who collaborated with writer/activist A. Mimi Sei (center) at a panel discussion for our Portland Protests program in March 2023 with Katherine FitzGibbon (picture by Rachel Hadiashar)
COMMISSION STORY HIGHLIGHT | A. Mimi Sei
Each work that Resonance commissions is more than just a new piece. It’s a relationship with an artist. It’s a journey for our ensemble. It’s a deep and lasting impact on our community. This week, we highlight the work of writer/activist A. Mimi Sei. Mimi has been a long-time Resonance supporter and collaborator, writing for both musical and non-musical mediums—her powerful foreword for An African American Requiem among them.
“We’re not just making music for music, right? We’re making music that leaves an impact.”
In March 2023, Resonance commissioned Mimi to write text that would be set by composer Kenji Bunch for our program Portland Protests.
“In reflecting on the past several years of tremendous upheaval both nationally and locally,” writes composer Kenji Bunch in his program notes, “I found myself frankly exhausted and disenchanted with the notion of engaging in this process. Yet it was A. Mimi Sei’s words that met me at that point of exhaustion and reinvigorated me with a positive, uplifting energy.”
Watch the video below to learn more about why A. Mimi Sei supports our programming, hear a reading of her powerful poem “Shout Out” and an excerpt from the resulting commissioned piece by Kenji Bunch.
Thank you to A. Mimi Sei, Kenji Bunch, cellist Valdine Ritchie Mishkin, conductor Shohei Kobayashi and the Resonance Ensemble singers for their contribution to this project.
What can we look forward to next from A. Mimi Sei?
"I am so excited to be teaming up with Darrell Grant to write a new piece for Resonance!" Join us in March 2024 when we unveil her latest work, in collaboration with celebrated composer Darrell Grant, premiering on Amendments: Righting Our Wrongs. Amendments: Righting Our Wrongs.
15K for 15 Years!
These stories are made possible thanks to your generous contributions. Resonance Ensemble is working to raise $15,000 for the Dinah Dodds Fund for the Creation of New Art to support the commission and recording of new works! Read more to learn about the campaign, and how you can help champion the music of tomorrow by supporting the voices of today.
Commission Stories: Championing Damien Geter
Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon with composer, vocalist, and co-artistic advisor Damien Geter
COMMISSION STORIES | ABOUT
Read, listen, and experience stories from our commissioned artists—the voices of today
Our end of year theme is Championing the Music of Tomorrow by Supporting the Voices of Today. This month we unveiled “Commission Stories,” a vital archive of our unwavering commitment to mission-based art and the exceptional composers who have contributed to its legacy.
Each work that Resonance commissions is more than just a new piece. It’s a relationship with an artist. It’s a journey for our ensemble. It’s a deep and lasting impact on our community. Every commission has a history all its own, and we invite you to explore them in our new gallery—15 years in the making.
COMMISSION STORY HIGHLIGHT | DAMIEN GETER
This week, we highlight beloved composer Damien Geter. Resonance has premiered over half a dozen works from Geter, some of which eventually became part of our most ambitious commission to date, An African American Requiem. Resonance worked with Geter long before this national success story, however, and today we highlight a particularly poignant work he wrote for our Intensive Care program in 2019: The Talk: Instructions for Black Children When They Interact with the Police.
Discussing the inspiration behind this significant composition, Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon remarked, “When Resonance was planning the repertoire for our Intensive Care concert, we were struck by the absence of the perspectives of parents of color, especially Black parents, in the choral repertoire. The enduring tradition of Black parents imparting crucial survival advice to their children during encounters with the police, often referred to as ‘The Talk,’ stood out as a poignant yet overlooked narrative. Artistic Advisor Damien Geter and I dug deeply into repertoire by many composers we admire, and we kept wishing we could find a piece of music that encapsulated that crucial conversation, but we couldn’t find anything. Damien finally said, ‘You know what? I'm going to write that piece. We need it.’ The piece Resonance premiered at that concert became a standout moment I will never forget.”
Witness the powerful premiere of this moving work in the video below offering a glimpse into why Damien Geter stands as one of the foremost composers of our era.
Click here to read the full story and find more Commission Stories.
SUPPORT MORE STORIES TODAY!
Head to our Commission Stories gallery to read more about this and other works. These stories are made possible thanks to your generous contributions. Resonance Ensemble is working to raise $15,000 for the Dinah Dodds Fund for the Creation of New Art to support the commission and recording of new works! Read more to learn about the campaign, and how you can help champion the music of tomorrow by supporting the voices of today.
Commission Stories: Championing Cecille Elliott
Composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Cecille Elliott at our Fall 2023 show We Dissent (picture by Rachel Hadiashar)
COMMISSION STORIES | ABOUT
Read, listen, and experience stories from our commissioned artists—the voices of today
Our end of year theme is Championing the Music of Tomorrow by Supporting the Voices of Today. This month we unveiled “Commission Stories,” a vital archive of our unwavering commitment to mission-based art and the exceptional composers who have contributed to its legacy.
Each work that Resonance commissions is more than just a new piece. It’s a relationship with an artist. It’s a journey for our ensemble. It’s a deep and lasting impact on our community. Every commission has a history all its own, and we invite you to explore them in our new gallery—15 years in the making.
COMMISSION STORY HIGHLIGHT | CECILLE ELLIOTT
This week, we highlight the incredible composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Cecille Elliott, whose work We Are Murmurs was commissioned this past spring for Volume 3 of our Dirty, Stupid Music series—and will be reprised in 2024 at both our Sweet Honey in the Rock and MISSION 15 shows!
Watch this video to hear We are Murmurs and learn more about how this commission came to be.
You can read Cecille Elliott’s full story and find more Commission Stories at the link below.
SUPPORT MORE STORIES TODAY!
Head to our Commission Stories gallery to read more about this and other works. These stories are made possible thanks to your generous contributions. Resonance Ensemble is working to raise $15,000 for the Dinah Dodds Fund for the Creation of New Art to support the commission and recording of new works! Read more to learn about the campaign, and how you can help champion the music of tomorrow by supporting the voices of today.
Commission Stories: Championing Melissa Dunphy
Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and Composer Melissa Dunphy
Announcing Commission Stories!
Read, listen, and experience stories from our commissioned artists—the voices of today
Our end of year theme is Championing the Music of Tomorrow by Supporting the Voices of Today. This week we unveil “Commission Stories,” a vital archive of our unwavering commitment to mission-based art and the exceptional composers who have contributed to its legacy.
Each work that Resonance commissions is more than just a new piece. It’s a relationship with an artist. It’s a journey for our ensemble. It’s a deep and lasting impact on our community. Every commission has a history all its own, and we invite you to explore them in our new gallery—15 years in the making.
We start this journey with one of our most performed commissions and title of our debut album, LISTEN.
Watch this video of the premiere performance, complete with opening complete with comments from composer Melissa Dunphy about why she was so excited to be invited to write for Resonance treble singers with this important work.
Head to our Commission Stories gallery to read more about this and other works. These stories are made possible thanks to your generous contributions. Resonance Ensemble is working to raise $15,000 for the Dinah Dodds Fund for the Creation of New Art to support the commission and recording of new works! Read more to learn about the campaign, and how you can help champion the music of tomorrow by supporting the voices of today.
Shape the Music of Tomorrow, Support the Voices of Today
Thank You for Fifteen Amazing Years!
It is hard to capture what the last 15 years have meant to us at Resonance Ensemble. From our first concerts, to our debut at the Kennedy Center, Resonance—and the world around us—has changed. In 2016 when we shifted our focus, we found our voice in the larger choral community as a leader in promoting meaningful social change through excellent performances of captivating programming. As we continue embarking on this transformative journey to shape the music of tomorrow, we invite you to join us in supporting the voices of today.
Your donation will not only fund the creation of new music; it will be an investment in stories that deserve to be heard, in voices that need to be amplified. Just this past year Resonance Ensemble was able to commission eight artists, including composers Darrell Grant, Kenji Bunch, Cecille Elliott, Kimberly R. Osberg, and Judy A. Rose, and poets A. Mimi Sei, S. Renee Mitchell, and Vin Shambry. We were able to release our debut album LISTEN, and we look forward to the recording of our next album—which will solely feature works commissioned by Resonance Ensemble. All of this is possible because of your steadfast generosity.
Today, as we embark on our year-end campaign of our 15th Season, our goal is to raise $15,000 to help shape the music of tomorrow. No matter the size of your gift ($15, $115, $15,000), your contribution will directly support our efforts to commission world-class composers, continue our tradition of high-level artistry, and ensure that the voices of underrepresented composers are heard and celebrated. Your generosity is the key to unlocking new compositions, new voices, and new possibilities.
We invite you to visit our website to learn more about these efforts and how your contribution can help shape the music of tomorrow. To donate today, please mail your check or credit card info to us at 3121 South Moody Avenue #130, click here, or call us at 503-427-8701.
Let’s celebrate 15 years of Resonance Ensemble by ensuring the next 15 are even more extraordinary. Your support is not just a donation; it is a commitment to making a difference. Along with our artists, staff, and Board of Directors, I thank you for supporting Resonance Ensemble.
Sincerely,
Katherine FitzGibbon
President and Artistic Director, Resonance Ensemble
