Better Together: Highlighting Long-Term Partnerships
Radical collaboration is core to who we are at Resonance Ensemble. This year marks 15 seasons, made possible in part by the deep partnerships we’ve cultivated across the years with organizations, educators, artists, and community leaders both in Portland and beyond. As part of our special anniversary season, we are highlighting collaborations with 15 of the amazing Portland-based organizations we are proud to call our arts allies. We encourage you to take the time to learn more about each of our partner organizations. As a community, we are better together.
Part Four - Long-Term Partnerships That Supports Radical Impacts
From before the downbeat of the first Resonance concert to this very day, many people have given their time and energy to support Resonance Ensemble’s mission.
This week we toast to two long-time collaborators who have worked with us since the beginning. Having trusted vendors who are able to bring our vision and message to life is a priceless treasure.
The talented work these two creative organizations bring to us—led by Rachel Hadiashar and Liz Bacon—is a gift that keeps on giving, and it is an added treasure that we can call each of them our friend. Their dedication, talent, and unwavering support have played a vital role in our growth and success. We're excited to continue this journey together, creating more memorable moments and sharing our passion for music and inclusivity with the world.
Missed the earlier segments? Click below to read more:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Rachel Hadiashar, Photographer
Rachel Hadiashar
Rachel Hadiashar is a masterful visual storyteller. Her work captures the essence of Resonance Ensemble and beautifully brings our performances and mission to life in the digital realm. Rachel has been with us since close to the beginning, documenting our journey, our triumphs, and our musical evolution. Through her photography, she has preserved countless moments that have allowed us to relive the magic and share it with our supporters and the world.
Rachel doesn't just capture images; she captures emotions and the very soul of our ensemble. Her work helps us reach new audiences and share the beauty of our music, all while conveying the deeper messages that underlie our performances. Her ability to weave a visual narrative that connects with people's hearts is truly remarkable.
oh! Creative productions
Behind the scenes of the My Requiem Story series (SOUL Restoration Center, provided by Oh! Creative)
Liz Bacon Brownson is a masterful visual storyteller. From our biggest dreams (such as the huge community and educational impact of the African American Requiem) to the smallest design details, Liz and her team at Oh! Creative have helped Resonance Ensemble to beautifully communicate our mission and programming, connect with partners, and share our work with our community. We’re extremely grateful to Liz, who serves on our board, and who has donated a portion of her time to Resonance every year as part of her service to, and belief in, Resonance’s mission.
When you attend a Resonance Ensemble performance, you see Oh! Creative’s work in action. When you read our program or watch the projected images which accompany each piece, that’s the work of Liz Bacon and her team. Here are just a few of our favorite collaborations with Oh! Creative.
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN REQUIEM
We cannot understate how much Oh! Creative has been a part of the process of ensuring the lasting impact of this groundbreaking work.
Helping us connect with leaders in our community, assisting with the development of the written curriculum and accompanying video components for students across the region, creating an original series to capture both written and video interviews with participants, to a fully-realized documentary, Oh! Creative helped memorialize this landmark work and deepen the experience of its performances for generations to come.
UNDER THE OVERPASS
Watch the whole series here
In 2020, Resonance knew that the way we showcased our work had to pivot. Working with Oh! Creative, we created one of our most memorable video series that garnered tens of thousands of views at the height of the pandemic.
Beginning in the early summer of that year, Under the Overpass was born. Singers and spoken word artists met in acoustic spaces around the city - six feet apart, masked, and yet together. The series celebrated the city of Portland and the space it provides for Resonance artists to continue to create. In addition to scouting locations, designing each shoot to capture the message of each piece featured, and organizing rehearsals leading into performance day, Oh! Creative professionally captured the beauty of each outdoor space–allowing us to share not only the talents of Resonance Ensemble performers, but the beauty in our community as well.
LISTEN
Learn more about our debut album here
In addition to their beautiful video work, Oh! Creative has designed and manages our website, and produces our printed and digital materials as well. If you’ve read a Resonance Ensemble program, received a flyer, explored our website, or followed us on social media, you’ve seen their stunning work. We were particularly proud to collaborate with Oh! on the design of our debut album, LISTEN—which was released just this past fall. The CD art, album jacket, and all of the internal material was carefully produced by Oh! for release this past year, and it’s an album we are proud to share with our national community of listeners.
See our collaborations in action | Learn more about Oh! Creative’s work in the community
Photographer Rachel Hadiashar and Resonance artistic advisor Shohei Kobayashi. Photo by Joe Cantrell.
Liz Bacon Brownson (right) at a volunteer expo with Dee McDuffey of Kingdom Sound (left) and Kiah Bacon (center).
Rachel Hadiashar Photography and Oh! Creative Productions are more than collaborators; they are friends who have become an integral part of our Resonance family. Thank you, Rachel and Liz, for being such essential and cherished members of our team. Here's to the future and looking ahead to what else we will create together!
UP NEXT: In the last installment of this gratitude series, we celebrate the incredible organizations in our radical season partnership campaign.
Better Together: Highlighting Community-First Organizations
Radical collaboration is core to who we are at Resonance Ensemble. This year marks 15 seasons, made possible in part by the deep partnerships we’ve cultivated across the years with organizations, educators, artists, and community leaders both in Portland and beyond. As part of our special anniversary season, we are highlighting collaborations with 15 of the amazing Portland-based organizations we are proud to call our arts allies. We encourage you to take the time to learn more about each of our partner organizations. As a community, we are better together.
PRIDE NORTHWEST
Pride NW’s Debra Porta with Resonance Ensemble’s Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon
Resonance and Pride Northwest first collaborated in 2018 on a concert called “Bodies,” which was part of the Pride Northwest Festival. It turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful multi-year partnership that has been one of Resonance’s cherished relationships.
Pride Northwest’s mission is to encourage and celebrate the positive diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans communities, and to assist in the education of all people through the development of activities that showcase the history, accomplishments, and talents of these communities.
When we first reached out to Debra Porta, she was immediately supportive of the idea of our partnering around a concert celebrating the artistic works and accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ communities. “I heard about the equity and inclusion work that Resonance was doing, and my ears perked,” Porta said in 2018. “It was easy to see the value in partnering with Resonance. Our missions beautifully interweave, and I look forward to where we grow from here.”
Donna Dermond with a poster from our collaboration with Pride NW, “Bodies'“
Indeed, we have grown together from there, with many additional collaborations and mutual support, including the Commissions for Now world premiere in 2021 in which we unveiled the premiere video of Mari Esabel Valverde’s “We Hold Your Names Sacred.” Valverde’s work set the words of Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi to memorialize trans women of color. The work premiered virtually, followed by a live conversation among Valverde, Edidi, Portland-based photographer Raven Ellaine, and Resonance’s Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon, all as part of the Pride Festival.
“We love the work and vision of Debra Porta and Pride Northwest,” says FitzGibbon. “Resonance’s long-term relationship with Pride Northwest has generated multiple exciting creative collaborations, and we admire so deeply the myriad initiatives they lead in the LGBTQIA+ communities in our region.”
We are better together with Pride Northwest, and we look forward to our next collaboration with Debra and the rest of the Pride Northwest team.
Check out this review from a past collaboration | Learn more about Pride NW
Emanuel Displaced Persons Association 2
Image features Byrd, co-founder of EDPA2, speaks to her experience as part of the Under the Overpass series music video.
The Resonance team first got to know the leadership of EDPA2 in 2021, when we worked together on a video release focusing on the destruction of the historic Albina neighborhood, a hub of Black businesses and creative spaces. The video, part of our Under the Overpass series around Portland during the initial stages of the pandemic, shared a round table conversation with EDPA2, poetry by Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani, and the premiere of a work by composer Darrell Grant by Damien Geter with Grant at the keyboard. The video included transparent photos of the neighborhood when it was a vibrant center for the Black community, juxtaposed against the vacant lots now.
“Resonance continues to support the work of EDPA2. They are advocating for the city to live up to their agreements to compensate for the destruction of housing and generational wealth.”
The Emanuel Displaced Persons Association 2, EDPA2, is an ad hoc, community-based social justice organization consisting of survivors and descendants whose family homes and businesses were demolished. They are fighting to make the City of Portland, Prosper Portland, Home Forward and Emanuel Hospital live up to their responsibilities and fulfill the Relocation Housing Policy and Cooperative Agreement which they adopted in response to findings of a federal complaint handed down by HUD in 1971.
"This battle has been going on since it started, since the '60s and '70s. I'm just the latest iteration," the co-founder of the organization, Byrd, said recently. "My grandmother's house and my granddaddy's tavern were just down there, across the street. It was demolished and they were not compensated."
EDPA2 has met with Mayor Wheeler for more than 3 years and recently presented a plan to the Mayor for current appropriate restitution under the Agreement, including long-term economic development of the vacant lot at the corner of N. Williams and Russell. As of now, the city has indicated a total lack of willingness to consider the proposals of the survivors and descendants or to work with EDPA2 in any constructive way. EDPA2 is asking for community support.
Historic Alberta House (cerimon house)
Resonance Ensemble commissioned three artist pairs to write work in response to the Pander paintings on display at Alberta House. Pictured here are a few of those artists (L to R): Judy A. Rose, Shohei Kobayashi, Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, Kimberly R. Osberg, and Alberta House Director Vin Shambry.
Resonance Ensemble has enjoyed a deep and meaningful relationship with Alberta House for many years. First known to us as Cerimon House, this beautiful event space is nestled in the heart of the Alberta Arts District and has been home to classes and celebrations, local artists and arts organizations, deep conversations, and community gatherings. Much of Resonance Ensemble’s programming over the last decade has taken place within its walls—from live performances and premieres, artist gatherings and fundraisers, to video productions and photoshoots.
Vin Shambry performs his powerful work Brother Man at the 2017 Resonance Ensemble concert …Only in Falling.
In 2022, Alberta House named Vin Shambry as its Artistic Director. As Vin transitioned into his new role with Alberta House, he has continued to be a featured performer, composer, and poet on Resonance Ensemble programming—alongside his continued work as artist, filmmaker, and administrator. In 2023 of this year, we commissioned three artist pairings to write new works in response to the Henk Pander paintings on display at Alberta House—including original poetry by Shambry (set by composer Judy A. Rose).
The beautiful Historic Alberta House building
Resonance Ensemble was named an Arts-Organization-in-Residence by board chair Will Patton, whose tireless support and palpable enthusiasm for Resonance Ensemble have been an inspirational light throughout our seasons. Resonance concertgoers have been greeted for many years by longtime staff member Jo Pierce, whose deep love of, advocacy for, and dedication to Resonance Ensemble’s programming and mission have made her as much a part of the Resonance Ensemble family as Alberta House’s. We are proud to be able to provide mutual support through our season partnership program, even as our own organization continues to venture out into other spaces in Portland and beyond.
The support we have received from Alberta House staff, board, and leadership has been invaluable in helping Resonance Ensemble grow into the organization we are today—providing a safe and stable place for our growth and community connection, along with the growth of many other local arts organizations.
See our partnership in action | Learn more about Alberta House
UP NEXT: We next highlight our radical collaborations with photographer Rachel Hadiashar and with Oh! Creative productions.
Better Together: Highlighting Placemakers for the Arts
Radical collaboration is core to who we are at Resonance Ensemble. This year marks 15 seasons, made possible in part by the deep partnerships we’ve cultivated across the years with organizations, educators, artists, and community leaders both in Portland and beyond. As part of our special anniversary season, we are highlighting collaborations with 15 of the amazing Portland-based organizations we are proud to call our arts allies. We encourage you to take the time to learn more about each of our partner organizations. As a community, we are better together.
Part Two - These are the placemakers.
In a world where things often get lost in the cacophony, there are those who can stand up and become advocates, amplifying our voices and ensuring we are heard. This week, we shine a spotlight on three incredible partners who are, in their own unique ways, what we are calling placemakers for the arts. Through their missions, position, funding, and platforms, they have provided invaluable opportunities for many of our projects — as well as so many other Portland arts organizations — to be seen and heard. Throughout these 15 years, they have made a difference to Resonance Ensemble and to the Portland community.
Missed part one of our series? Click here.
ALL CLASSICAL Radio
Resonance Ensemble Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon (left) with attendee Katherine Lefever, and All Classical Radio CEO Suzanne Nance right) at the 2018 Resonance Ensemble Giltner House fundraiser (photo by Rachel Hadiashar)
At All Classical Radio, CEO Suzanne Nance and her team have created a platform that celebrates the rich tapestry of Portland classical music talent. Their passionate commitment to the arts and rich and diverse programming have made them champions of classical music. Through their visionary leadership and dedication, they provide Portland-based classical artists – including Resonance Ensemble – a stage (and microphone!) to share their work.
But the impact goes beyond the music; their generous spirit as an organization simply brings arts organizations, arts makers, and audiences closer together.
“Amplifying art that reflects our society, and uplifting the powerful work of composers like Damien Geter, is at the heart of our mission at All Classical Radio.”
This was especially significant for us in 2020, when All Classical Radio made it possible to produce an unprecedented live, bi-coastal broadcast in collaboration with New York’s WQXR of the world premiere performance of Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem with the goal of providing greater access to and amplification of this important work. Following the performance and live simulcast which finally happened on March 22, 2022, All Classical syndicated and distributed a free program featuring the premiere, as presented by Resonance Ensemble and Oregon Symphony, to radio stations nationwide.
All Classical Radio is an integral part of the Portland cultural landscape, offering artists the opportunity to be heard.
We are forever grateful to have All Classical Radio on our side. All of us are better, because of the light they shine.
Read More About Our Partnership In Action | Learn More About All Classical Radio
Oregon Symphony
Poet in Residence S. Renee Mitchell, Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon, and Composer Damien Geter with Oregon Symphony’s Scott Showalter at the premiere for An African American Requiem (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, May 2022 - Rachel Hadiashar).
As the state of Oregon’s largest music nonprofit, the Oregon Symphony is a flagship arts institution in downtown Portland. Resonance Ensemble has watched with appreciation as the Oregon Symphony has increased their commitment to new music, including music by composers of color. The Oregon Symphony also brings music to houseless communities, individuals who are currently incarcerated, and schools around the metropolitan area.
We were thrilled in 2020 when the Oregon Symphony agreed to partner with Resonance to produce the world premiere of our commission of Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem. In collaboration with Oregon Symphony General Manager Steve Wenig, we created a partnership agreement which allowed us to share production costs and resources, share marketing and promotion of the event (collaborating with Marketing and Strategic Engagement VP Russell Kelban), and develop educational outreach strategy in collaboration with Monica Hayes and the rest of the symphony team.
The impacts of this collaboration have been felt nationwide. The Portland premiere was particularly meaningful as each of our organizations contributed what we’re best known for: the brilliant playing of the Oregon Symphony musicians and the exceptional singing of the Resonance Ensemble artists.
It was a joy to join forces and to bring An African American Requiem to life in partnership with Oregon Symphony, and we are forever grateful.
Learn More About An African American Requiem | Learn More About Oregon Symphony
Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC)
As a recipient of the Cultural Leadership grant from RACC, we were able to take advantage of individual work sessions with internationally acclaimed arts consultant George Thorn, shown here with Katherine FitzGibbon in August of 2018.
The Regional Arts & Culture Council is an organization that has provided Resonance and so many other Portland arts groups invaluable resources, workshops, and opportunities for funding. RACC has fostered a nurturing environment for the arts by supporting the creative economy in greater Portland and providing equitable funding to artists in our region.
“We activate and engage, connecting artists and creatives to opportunity and access.”
Resonance Ensemble received its very first grants from RACC, before we had received our 501(c)3 nonprofit status, which allowed us to develop and realize our mission. Resonance’s leadership team also benefited from participation in the Art of Leadership program and the Cultural Leadership grant, both of which allowed us to build out our strategic planning and growth with input from arts consultants George Thorn and Toni Tabora-Roberts. Now, we are grateful for much-needed ongoing operating support from RACC.
Connecting all of us in the greater Portland area to opportunities and access is what makes RACC a creative placemaker. The RACC team are all Portland arts organizations’ heroes. They continue to be a tremendous advocate and supporter to us, and we wouldn’t be who we are without them.
PHOTO OF GRADUATING CLASS OF 2018 ART OF LEADERSHIP Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and Director of Marketing and Operations, Liz Bacon participated in a 6-month workshop fostering relationships with business professionals and local nonprofit arts organizations. The series covers topics from finances to fundraising, strategic development to legal issues, helping participants develop leadership skills, network with business and arts leaders, and get matched with arts organizations closely aligned with their own interests and experience. (Can you see Kathy and Liz, in the center of things as usual?)
Better Together: Highlighting Education Partnerships
Radical collaboration is core to who we are at Resonance Ensemble. This year marks 15 seasons, made possible in part by the deep partnerships we’ve cultivated across the years with organizations, educators, artists, and community leaders both in Portland and beyond. As part of our special anniversary season, we are highlighting collaborations with 15 of the amazing Portland-based organizations we are proud to call our arts allies. We encourage you to take the time to learn more about each of our partner organizations. As a community, we are better together.
Part One - Educational Partnerships for a Better World
This week, we highlight three of the educational partners we’ve collaborated with to bring our programming to listeners everywhere.
Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark has been a deeply meaningful collaborator across the years. When music professor Katherine FitzGibbon proposed the idea of Resonance Ensemble back in 2009, the college immediately supported the idea in tangible ways. Home to some of our very first performances – and most of our rehearsals since! – Lewis & Clark has been providing logistical, financial, and venue support since Resonance’s inception.
“Without Lewis & Clark, so much of the growth Resonance Ensemble has sustained would simply not have been possible.”
Some of Resonance Ensemble’s most ambitious projects, including the recent music and arts festival, Earth’s Protection, have taken place at Lewis & Clark. With the support of amazing on-site staff like Susan Nunes, and on the beautiful grounds of the LC campus, Resonance Ensemble hosted a multidisciplinary arts and music festival this past June. The festival featured collaborations with Harold Paul’s indigenous dance group Four Directions, an art gallery by beloved photographer Joe Cantrell, live poetry reading by Ed Edmo, a tabla collaboration with musician Shrikant Naware, and the Oregon premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s grand work Mass for the Endangered in collaboration with Fear No Music ensemble.
Lewis & Clark’s support extends outside the concert hall as well, as many Lewis & Clark students volunteer for Resonance Ensemble, have worked as paid interns for Resonance, and attend Resonance events. We are so grateful for their support over these 15 years.
“Lewis & Clark has been a wonderful advocate for and supporter of my work with Resonance Ensemble,” reflects Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “Without them, so much of the growth Resonance Ensemble has sustained would simply not have been possible, and we can’t wait to see what the next 15 years bring for our partnership.”
Resonance Ensemble will be releasing the full concert video from Earth’s Protection later this month—so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch this amazing collaboration for yourself!
SEE our partnership in action | SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel
Dr. S. Renee Mitchell | SOUL RESTORATION CENTER
Image features Dr. Mitchell being filmed for her “My Requiem Story” episode, as part of the An African American Requiem curriculum materials. Seen here at Soul Restoration Center, with filmmaker Kenny Hamlett. (Photo courtesy of Oh! Creative)
One of Resonance’s most inspiring educational partnerships is with our Poet in Residence, Dr. S. Renee Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell is a published author, curriculum designer, community activist and multi-media artist. She also is a sur-thriver who has found her life purpose since disentangling from bullying, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Through her work with Soul Restoration Center and I am M.O.R.E, two organizations she founded, Dr. Mitchell continues to provide us with community connections, educational, and artist support. We are proud to call her our friend.
After 25 years as an award-winning newspaper journalist - where she was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize - Renee reinvented herself as a Creative Revolutionist. She earned the doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon, and she founded I Am M.O.R.E., an organization that centers young people through culturally relevant, trauma-informed practices to help non-profits, schools, community organizations, and parents learn how to better serve their communities. She has traveled the country presenting workshops about her techniques and creating leadership opportunities for young people. In her work with Resonance, Dr. Mitchell has frequently connected high school students from I AM M.O.R.E with Resonance Ensemble, inviting the students to present their original works at Resonance Ensemble concerts.
We’re also grateful that she lent her expertise as a member of the African American Requiem Advisory Council, and as co-author of the educational curriculum around Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem that has now been used in high schools around the country.
In 2022, Dr. Mitchell was one of the founders of the Soul Restoration Center, a healing-centered, arts-focused Black respite that collaborates with heart-centered individuals, donors, organizations and other partners who value Black lives. In 2022, the Soul Restoration Center served as a healing community space before and after the African American Requiem. She connected Black Student Unions from around the Portland metropolitan area and many additional Black community members with tickets that had been donated to the African American Requiem world premiere. Then, in partnership with Resonance Ensemble, she designed and hosted activities at the Soul Restoration Center: pre-concert educational activities for the Black Student Unions, and post-concert healing and reflection opportunities.
We are so grateful to collaborate with Dr. Mitchell, a visionary leader and mentor who changes lives. She has certainly changed ours.
SEE our partnership in action | WATCH this video
Portland Public Schools
Resonance Ensemble provided Portland Public Schools with conductor Lynn Mendoza-Khan and several mentor singers to support the Latinx Affinity Choir PPS is currently developing. Also pictured (L) Y La Bamba’s Luz Mendoza and (R) PPS VAPA Director Kristen Brayson. Photo courtesy of Oh! Creative
In the realm of education, the power of the arts to inspire and unite communities is undeniable. Resonance has harnessed this power through its multi-year partnership with the Portland Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) team. Through our work with VAPA, led by Director Kristen Brayson, Resonance’s commitment to working toward a more just and equitable future can begin with our ongoing outreach to young people through arts education.
An African American Requiem — a multi-dimensional educational outreach experience (2020-2022) As a member of the African American Requiem Advisory Council, PPS helped us ensure that the performance and experiences surrounding it were connected directly to PPS classrooms. Together, we created a multi-dimensional experience for PPS Black students and families that included curricular integration, in-school presentations, workshops, the live performance, and post-show interactive engagement.
The Latinx Community Choir Project (2022-24) We are proud to support PPS’s groundbreaking initiative to build affinity choir spaces for Latinx-identifying student singers. The PPS Latinx Community Choir is a choir specifically assembled by PPS VAPA staff so that Latinx student singers can gather in an atmosphere of inherent shared understanding and fellowship, with a goal to one day be a true affinity space for Latinx singers. The group, conducted by Resonance singer Lynn Mendoza-Khan, included invited Latinx-identifying PPS student singers and mentor support singers provided by Resonance Ensemble. The project’s inaugural season culminated in a joint performance at the PPS HeART of Portland event at the Portland Art Museum. Students and Resonance singers shared how meaningful it was to be a part of the project, and we look forward to helping PPS grow this important initiative.
Resonance and the VAPA team continue to meet to build support for the Latinx Community Choir during this school year, and we are now planning additional partnership opportunities for Resonance and PPS beginning in 2024.
“We’ve come together as a community on this project, and it has been a beautiful celebration of the students and of a connection across generations.”
We are grateful for our partnership with PPS on these projects that make a difference. Through our work together, we witness the power of music and education transcending the boundaries of the classroom and empowering students to carry the spirit of harmony and inclusivity with them throughout their lives. In doing so, we are indeed, better together.
See our partnership in action | LEARN MORE about An African American Requiem
UP NEXT: We next highlight our radical collaborations with All Classical Radio, Oregon Symphony, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
LISTEN: A Concert Reflection
The stage is set! | Photo by Cecille Elliott
A PERFECT OPENING TO OUR 15th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: REVOLUTION 15
This past weekend, our 15th anniversary season began with LISTEN. This live performance of our debut album was an evening filled with testament to the cherished collaborations and commissioned works that continue to celebrate the transformative power of music. Today, we take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights.
Altos Cecily Kiester and Kristen Buhler sing Melissa Dunphy’s “LISTEN” under the dramatic image of Christine Blasey Ford, from the slideshow that played throughout the performance. | Photo by Joe Cantrell
AND SO IT BEGINS…
The treble singers kicked things off with Melissa Dunphy’s LISTEN that took audience members through some of the powerful words of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford from their testimonies at Supreme Court confirmation hearings. This heart-wrenching work was commissioned by Resonance Ensemble in 2019 and originally premiered on our Women Singing Women concert.
Those attending We Dissent last year will remember the lush and embracing When the Dust Settles by composer Mari Esabel Valverde. Another treble-voice feature, this affirming declaration of trans lives by Amir Rabiyah centers on the work and words of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy—a former grass roots organizer and lifelong transgender and intersex rights activist from coast. The work remains as timely as when it was first written, and Resonance Ensemble was honored to share this declaration with listeners once more this past weekend.
A SYMPHONY OF COLLABORATIONS AND COMMISSIONED WORKS
Poet and composer Vin Shambry took the stage to reprise his solo performance of Brother Man. In Vin’s own words, the work allows him to “share our struggles, triumphs, and gifts and brings the Black story in America to life.” While the work is brief, the impact was deeply felt by audiences throughout the weekend—Vin’s beautiful voice and impactful poetry receiving richly-deserved applause following each performance.
“Being a Black creative person to me means having the ability to preserve our culture beautifully. This purpose means everything to me.”
Following Vin’s performance, the treble-voices returned for another work describing unjust persecution—this time for Stacey Philipp’s work, Witch Trial. With text taken from a trial testimony hailing from the Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693), the work powerfully depicts both the accused and the accusers. Emma Lynn Abrams’ soprano solo beautifully soared over the powerful and aggressive chorus of denouncers, capturing the complex emotions of this highly theatrical work.
Resonance singers perform “You Do Not Walk Alone” under the images of people who have stood with us throughout the years. | Photo by Emma Rose Lynn
Finally bringing in our lower voices, the first single from the album, You Do Not Walk Alone by Dominick DiOrio beautifully showcases the full range and blend of the choir—providing a deep comfort after so much pain in the previous works. Immediately following this a cappella work and featuring gorgeously lush interjections by pianist Hannah Brewer, Jake Runestad’s The Peace of Wild Things took listener’s through the beauty and comfort of nature. Where You Do Not Walk Alone relies on great sensitivity and precision—offering comfort in quiet and intimacy— Runestad’s work rises in powerful swells, bold declarations of emotion, and radiant ecstasy.
Next was Steven Sametz’s I Have Had Singing. While a great many of the works featured included quite a bit of countrapuntal lines and intricate trading, Steven Sametz’s more simple textures allowed for Resonance Ensemble to highlight their full ensemble sound—moving together in precise movements and proving the group’s expansive range.
HONORING A TOUCHSTONE — RESONANCE’S FIRST COMMISSION IS PERFORMED
The program closed with the first piece we commissioned way back in 2014: Renée Favand-See’s stunning five-movement work, Only in Falling. Setting poetry by Wendell Berry, the work honors the joyful journey of carrying her son Owen and giving birth to him, and also honored the sorrowful journey since losing him just seven days after he was born. In her program notes, Renée states “One of the most powerful aspects of music is its ability to hold more than one thought or feeling at once,” which she does to great effect throughout the work. With solos by Cecily Kiester, Vakarė Petroliūnaitė, Les Green, and Kevin Walsh and a demanding set of overlapping lines, moods, and complex rhythms throughout the work, Only in Falling is a work that Resonance Ensemble was proud to commission and we fall in love more deeply each time we revisit it.
Following each performance, audience members were invited to stay for a post-panel discussion with artists Vin Shambry, Stacey Philipps, Renée Favand-See, and Katherine FitzGibbon. Deeply engaged by the works, audience members stayed asked questions and heard more from the artists about their work and experiences.
Singing Only in falling by R. Favand-See | Photo by Joe Cantrell
AS ALWAYS, OUR UNENDING GRATITUDE…
Resonance Ensemble is grateful to all of the artists, performers, volunteers, and attendees who made LISTEN possible—it’s hard to imagine a more appropriate launch to such an important anniversary, and it was deeply meaningful to have so many of our supporters, collaborators, and friends with us this past weekend.
We invite you to explore our Enhance Your Experience page to learn more about the topics, artists, and works shared as part of this program.
BUY OUR DEBUT ALBUM AND STAY TUNED FOR THE RECORDED VIDEO of LISTEN!
LISTEN, is now available for purchase on our store. Thanks to our REAP Initiative, the live performance was recorded and will be available via livestream for free later this year. If you would like to help support the continued access to free recordings of our performances, please consider a donation to the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP) initiative.
Artist Spotlight: Meet Renée Favand-See!
This weekend, Saturday, October 14th and Sunday, October 15th, Resonance Ensemble launches their 15th Anniversary Season with a live performance of works from our debut album, LISTEN.
Among the works included for this concert will be Only in Falling, a major composition by Portland composer Renée Favand-See which captures the emotional power of her poignant voyage following the death of her newborn son, Owen.
This week, Renée reflects on what has changed since its initial premiere in 2014—and what still rings true today.
How did you become involved with Resonance Ensemble?
Photo by Marshall Bessières
Soon after I moved to Portland in 2009, I sang with Resonance Ensemble. In my first concert with them, we performed Stravinsky’s Les Noces. Performing with this group, there was a wonderful feeling of camaraderie and excitement in taking on a challenging project and going ‘all in’ together–OMG, so much Russian and so fast! I loved singing with Resonance’s powerful, warm-voiced altos; when I wrote Only in Falling, the altos in my inner ears sang some of the best melodies. We felt like a family, bound together by music and Kathy’s generous heart and grounded embodiment of the works we shared.
Kathy’s deep sincerity combined with her beautiful musicianship make her a gem of a friend. We have always felt like kindred spirits—though she effortlessly connects with many in the beautiful community she weaves through her authenticity and steadfastness. She rings true as a musician and as a person.
Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon and composer Renée Favand-See
Can you tell us a bit about how you came to write Only in Falling?
After my son Owen died, Kathy was one of the precious people in my life who was able to sit with me in the deep dark of it—to hold a loving, safe space while storms blew through me. When I started to reach a place of integration and equanimity, Kathy asked me if I wanted to make a piece for Resonance, what would it be?
I immediately knew I wanted to honor the Wendell Berry poems that had been my lanterns in the dark, and the idea of Only in Falling began—a musical gesture of gratitude for my beautiful son, and for Berry’s words that gave shape and clarity to my inner landscape of grief.
This work was first done with Resonance Ensemble in 2014—has your relationship with this piece changed at all for you in that time?
Yes, indeed. When I first wrote Only in Falling, it was wholly centered on my son Owen—this piece was his story. The process of choosing the poems and musically delving into the emotional layers around and underneath the words was a way of writing our story into being—living through my grief and making music to express how grief worked on me were inextricably linked. Writing this piece helped me discover the meaning and yes, beauty, in my traumatic loss—to deeply claim Owen as my teacher, the way all our children are. Writing this music was also a way to help Owen’s life touch others through the medium of musical vibration, which is a fitting embodiment of such a beautiful soul.
When Resonance gathered together again to perform and record this work some years later, I was still eager to share Owen’s stories and how my piece was born, but I was in a stronger place, so I could be receptive to others’ losses invited into the light by this work that seeks to honor grief. My piece felt larger to me, no longer only about Owen, but about loss—all the losses of the people who sang the piece, the people who heard the piece, and people who haven’t heard the piece. Hearts opened by the sacred ritual of music, many people courageously and generously shared their stories with me. I felt so touched and joined into community with people whose stories were similar and also different to mine. I got to feel Owen’s touch rippling outward, sympathetically resonating with others. Sharing this piece with new people over time has reinforced a feeling of service through composing—trying to share as truthfully as possible, while leaning into the stuck points and surrendering to vulnerability.
From the 2019 performance of Only in Falling.
What does it mean to you for this piece to be professionally recorded?
Writing Only in Falling for Owen is a healing act, an affirmation that he was born and his life holds meaning in this world. And now, through this recording, I am able to share his life and our deep love for him with a wider community, to reach others who walk a journey of loss. I am so grateful to Kathy and Resonance for championing this work, and I'm honored to be included on their glorious debut album.
What do you love about the process of composing? What drew you to it?
Photo by Marshall Bessières
I love the process of discovery in composing. In the beginning, it’s all questions. What does this piece want? What is the right musical ecosystem for this poem? Does this feel true? Does this work? Does this gesture serve the impulse that wants to come through? Is this section too long, too short, this transition bumpy, smooth? Composing is an organic web of broken rules and surrendering to change, just like life–so you have to cultivate receptivity and figure out what to make of all the chance occurrences–often things turn out better than you could have planned. (I also like to geek out and make lots of elaborate plans.) I get especially excited when a piece resonates with people and we get that beautiful, velvety communal silence after.
Why is music important to you? What impact has music had on your life—not just professionally, but personally?
Photograph by Kelly Hoffer
I’ve come to view live performance of music as a sacred ritual that opens up a safe space–partly because it’s contained within a specific frame of time–that holds the possibility for people to experience their emotions more deeply and to thus receive a new insight or even a shift in orientation that could be healing to them individually and to their community. Music has been my teacher. Alongside my beautiful family and fat trees, it gives my life richness and a spirit of service.
Other random thoughts?
I have a new song cycle whose texts come from words by my now five-year-old son, Morgan. Here’s a short sample of what’s to come:
Why is Earth the name of our planet and also another word for dirt? Talk about it.
Do you know about drinking beer in space?
What’s the problem with eating pie in the car?
What is the color of infinity? I know, it’s whitey-blue!
Does that ring a bell in your mind?
Songs are about quiet things first / Loud things after
To read our previous blog sharing the full program notes and text from this work, click here.
Photo by Kelly Hoffer
Are you ready to LISTEN?
CHECK OUT OUR LIVE PERFORMANCES
There’s still time to get tickets to LISTEN - the live performance of our debut album! Click here to learn more about the live performances.
HEAR OUR DEBUT ALBUM!
You can hear Renée Favand-See’s work, Only in Falling, alongside other powerful works by living composers on debut album LISTEN. Click here to learn more about the album and to order your copy today! Pre-orders are accepted until Wednesday, October 11th.
unless otherwise noted, all photos in this post are by Rachel Hadiashar
Artist Spotlight: Meet Stacey Philipps
LISTEN, both the album and the concert, includes innovative commissions and regional premieres by world-class composers who have played pivotal roles in shaping who Resonance Ensemble is today.
Today we share our interview with Stacey Philipps, composer of “Witch Trial” who sat down with us to share a bit about the piece and herself.
Stacey is a Portland-based composer who has been a well-loved presence in the choral community for many years. Both a new music and early music devotée, she writes music to explore human experiences, lean into dissonance, and share vibrations with those on the stage and in the audience.
Stacey shares about her work Witch Trial, which will be featured on our upcoming program, LISTEN, as well as our debut album of the same name.
From a rehearsal of “Witch Trial” at the Historic Alberta House (2022).
How did you become involved with Resonance Ensemble?
I’ve been a Resonance audience member since concert one as an avid fan of Kathy FitzGibbon and her wonderful programming and singers. She’s put my music on the stage several times – always a total delight, as the performances have been stellar. I’m such a fan of this ensemble, and especially of the work they’re doing now, that I joined the board last fall.
Soprano soloist Emma Rose Lynn introduces “Witch Trial” and its meaning to Resonance listeners at the 2022 We Dissent concert.
For Witch Trial, what drew you to this text?
News articles describing modern-day witch hunts just a few years ago in South Africa, Somalia, and Papua New Guinea, the persistence of hate crimes in the world, and then the voices of women I found in trial transcripts from the Salem Witch Trials from which I gathered inspiration for the text.
In setting the text, what did you feel was the most important thing for the listener to understand?
The unbelievable emotional journey of the wrongly accused, from declamatory and forthright to plaintive to accepting to beatific – even bestowing blessings on her accusers! Equally important to notice are the righteous and somewhat panicked voices of the crowd of accusers who vehemently coalesce around their notion of justice and won’t let it go. Always astonishing how history repeats.
What do you love about the process of composing?
I love it all: the gathering phase – researching, brainstorming, sketching – the creative phase – the puzzle of putting all the elements together, layering meaning, and finding where to lean musically into emotional elements – the refining phase of ruthless editing and clarifying, and the collaborative phase of hearing performers make audible what was in my mind. It’s still magical every time.
Why is music important to you?
I was steeped in music from my earliest memories on – studying piano and voice and singing in choir and as a soloist – but then left it to study philosophy in college. I returned to music in a serious way a number of years later, and while part of me wishes that I had continued down this path earlier, I don’t regret the diversions (philosophy’s distracting) and I’m incredibly grateful to be back with it now.
Music is important to me because of its power to underscore and even reach beyond the human experience – to express, connect, surprise, provoke, question, thrill, comfort, and more. Honestly, its complexity is just incredibly interesting to me on so many levels (I also love theory!). All this is to say that I think I appreciate it even more for having taken the long way here.
Stacey reacts to Resonance’s performance of her work at We Dissent (2022).
So what’s coming up next for you?
I have another choral song called “Close Distancing” – written during the pandemic but with a longer reach into universal experiences of loss and connection. It’s also being released in October on a new album by the Oregon Repertory Singers, with whom I sing in the alto section.
I’m also in the thick of writing volume two of my book of Gathering Rounds – 52 rounds and canons set to texts by female-identifying poets and writers (ladies, send me your short poems for consideration!). Volume one is for experienced singers for sight-reading, performances, and fun, and this new book will add a special focus on skill-building for middle and high school singers.
Anything else to share?
Very special thanks to Resonance for all the gorgeous singing and remarkable programming over the years and on this album! It’s an honor to have my music included.
Composer Stacey Philipps and Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon outside the Historic Alberta House.
Are you ready to LISTEN ?
CHECK OUT OUR LIVE PERFORMANCES
There’s still time to get tickets to LISTEN - the live performance of our debut album! Click here to learn more about the live performances.
HEAR OUR DEBUT ALBUM!
You can hear Stacey Philipps’s work, Witch Trial, alongside other powerful works by living composers on debut album LISTEN. Click here to learn more about the album and to order your copy today!
unless otherwise noted, all photos in this post are by Rachel Hadiashar
Resonance Ensemble presents: LISTEN — the opening concert of their 15th Anniversary Season
Resonance Ensemble announces the opening concert of their 15th Anniversary Season featuring significant works, special guest artists and the release of their debut album, LISTEN
PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble, the acclaimed vocal group known for pushing the boundaries of classical music, is excited to announce, “LISTEN,” their 15th-anniversary celebration album release concert. This milestone event promises an unforgettable evening of many of the most important works in Resonance’s history – giving voice to the concerns, hopes, and dreams of our communities.
Known as “part social commentary and part group therapy,” Resonance Ensemble has been a force in Portland’s arts community for 15 years. In commemoration of this significant milestone, Resonance invites audiences to hear live performances of the works on their highly-anticipated debut album. The album and concert feature innovative commissions and regional premieres by Melissa Dunphy, Dominick DiOrio, Mari Esabel Valverde, Stacey Philipps, Renée Favand-See, and others who have played pivotal roles in shaping Resonance into what is described as "the best socially relevant music programming in Portland."
Special guest artists, including Renée Favand-See, Stacey Philipps, and frequent collaborator Vin Shambry, will join the exceptional musicians of the ensemble on stage at Lincoln 75 on the campus of Portland State University, a recital hall that carries the memories of some of Resonance’s very first performances.
Resonance Ensemble's founder and artistic director, Katherine FitzGibbon reflects, “Fifteen years of Resonance Ensemble have been a journey of exploration and evolution. 'LISTEN' is not just an album; it's a testament to our commitment to reinventing classical music as an art form that can create change in the world. We are excited to share this milestone with our audience and to continue to celebrate the transformative power of music.”
Resonance Ensemble's "LISTEN" album is available for pre-order now, and concert tickets are expected to sell out quickly. Don't miss this extraordinary event that celebrates 15 years of musical innovation, creativity, and the enduring strength of what Resonance calls “programming with purpose.”
For more information about the "LISTEN," concert, please visit resonancechoral.org or email at info@resonancechoral.org. To read more about the Album, LISTEN, click here.
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Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon, composers Renée Favand-See and Stacey Philipps, and Artistic Advisor Shohei Kobayashi 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.
EVENT SUMMARY
EVENT TITLE: Resonance Ensemble Presents: LISTEN
TIME & DATE: October 14th @ 7:30pm | October 15th @ 3:00pm
LOCATION: Lincoln Hall 75 | PSU - 1620 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97201
PRICING: Single tickets on sale now
($40 general/$30 seniors/$15 artists/students/veterans)
FOR FURTHER READING
About Resonance Ensemble | About Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon
Season 15 Events | Season 15 Featured Artists Page | Season 15 Venues
Single tickets for Resonance Ensemble’s REVOLUTION 15 2023-24 season on sale now!
PORTLAND, OR (September 20, 2023) — Resonance Ensemble announces single tickets for their 2023-24 season to go on sale today. The season, titled REVOLUTION15, celebrates the 15th anniversary for the award-winning vocal group with a dynamic series of concerts that unveils world premieres, welcomes award-winning and innovative guest artists, and features composers Resonance has commissioned throughout these past 15 years.
“While the recent cancellation of Bobby McFerrin due to health concerns was a disappointment, our season is filled with amazing performances,” says Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “Keep your ears peeled for some exciting surprises we can’t wait to unveil in the coming weeks.”
Highlights include:
OCTOBER 2023 | The highly-anticipated album-release concert, LISTEN, provides a strong opening to the season. Attendees will be among the first to have access to the physical copies of this landmark collection of works, which showcases bold commissions and works by rising stars in the choral world. Visiting guest composers are featured on this concert that kicks off this celebratory season of commissioned works. (Reserve your copy of LISTEN here.)
FEBRUARY 2024 | The sure-to-sell-out evening of Black Art Song at the Portland Art Museum curated by Resonance Ensemble’s resident Artistic Advisor Damien Geter. This recital of art song by Black composers is surrounded by – and in conversation with – the artworks of the Portland Art Museum’s “Black Artists of Oregon” exhibit, the first of its kind to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon. Geter is joined by Resonance guest artists, with songs by composers Margaret Bonds, Geter, and more. Featured guests to be announced soon!
MARCH 2024 | Resonance brings you the music of powerhouse composers who use their voices to fight injustice with Amendments: Righting our Wrongs. This concert features the exciting world premiere of a Resonance commission by Portland-based composer Darrell Grant and local poet A. Mimi Sei. With performances at both Oregon Historical Society and the Alberta Rose Theater, the program is presented in partnership with the Oregon Remembrance Project, an organization founded to help communities rectify historical injustice.
JUNE 2024 |The season concludes with a special birthday celebration concert: MISSION 15. An evening comprised entirely of Resonance Ensemble-commissioned works that celebrate the music Resonance has helped champion over the last 15 years. With composers like Kenji Bunch, Damien Geter, Joe Kye, Cecille Elliott, and more, This one-night-only event is sure to pack the beautiful Winningstad Theater.
For more information on pricing and program details, visit RESONANCECHORAL.ORG or contact the Ticketing Box Office at (503) 427-8701.
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Cancelled: CircleSongs with Bobby McFerrin
PORTLAND, OR — Portland-based professional vocal group Resonance Ensemble announced today that CircleSongs with Bobby McFerrin has been canceled due to health issues. The concert was set to premiere on April 5, 2024 at The Patricia Reser Center for the Performing Arts with an additional performance at the Armory at Portland Center Stage on April 6, 2024.
“We are very sad to share this news, and our hearts go out to Bobby McFerrin.” Said Katherine FitzGibbon. “We know it wasn’t an easy decision for him to make, and we hope everyone will join us in sending him all our love.“
The Resonance team is working with both The Patricia Reser Center for the Performing Arts and The Armory - Portland Center Stage to explore other options for the April 2024 dates. Further updates from Resonance will be announced via social media and on the Resonance website.
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TICKET-HOLDERS AND SUBSCRIBERS: for additional information or to answer any questions, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or call our box office at (503) 427-8701.
