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
Better Together: Highlighting PDX Arts Allies
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 Five - Allies for a Stronger Portland Arts Community
Here at Resonance Ensemble, we believe that a vibrant arts community like Portland's can only thrive when arts organizations support and uplift each other's work. One way we continually strive to foster this collaborative spirit in our community is through our season partnership program—providing mutual support and resources to fellow arts organizations who share our values. Today we highlight four of these amazing partners who share this collaborative vision for a better arts ecosystem in our community.
Missed earlier segments from Better Together? Click below to read more:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Fear no music
Fear No Music musicians—including past Resonance collaborators Kenji Bunch (composer), Nancy Ives (composer, RE board member), and James Shields (clarinet).
Fear No Music promotes music education for audiences of all ages and experience levels. Their visionary youth mentorship program piloted by composer and Artistic Director Kenji Bunch, their Locally-Sourced Sounds series that highlights composers from our region, and the recent launch of their De-Mystifying New Music series all speak to their dedication to making new music more accessible than ever. Both Resonance Ensemble and Fear No Music believe in providing free access to high-quality programming—Fear No Music through their live concert programming, and Resonance with our Resonance Ensemble Access Project initiative (REAP), which provides free digital access to all of our programming.
Fear No Music musicians at the performance of Mass for the Endangered this past June (2023)
With a shared commitment to connect audiences with composers of today, Resonance Ensemble and Fear No Music have collaborated on a number of programs—including the recent Oregon premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Mass for the Endangered at Lewis and Clark College this past June, which featured Resonance Ensemble alongside 13 of Fear No Music’s masterful musicians under the baton of our own Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon.
Fear No Music’s Kenji Bunch embraces poet A. Mimi Sei following the premiere of his work Shout Out! at Portland Protests (March 2023).
With Resonance actively commissioning new works each season, it has been our honor to collaborate on this vital and sensitive process of bringing new work to life with the musicians of the Fear No Music ensemble. This past spring, Fear No Music performed with Resonance at Portland Protests, which featured three world premieres by pairs of Portland-based artists: Resonance’s A. Mimi Sei and Fear No Music’s Kenji Bunch, composer Kimberly Osberg and Poet-in-Residence, Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, and poet Vin Shambry and composer Judy A. Rose.
Sharing values of accessibility, providing a platform for the voices today, and a “fearless” engagement with challenging music (both technically and emotionally), we are proud to collaborate with a partner that believes in so much of what matters most to us.
See our collaboration in action | Learn more about Fear No Music
Portland opera
From Portland Opera’s recent production of The Marriage of Figaro.
“Our friendship and partnership with Resonance Ensemble has grown over the last two years and we’re honored to collaborate with such a forward-thinking and community focused arts-organization. Liz Bacon Brownson and Kimberly Osberg at Resonance understand the power of uniting Portland’s arts organizations and how together we can grow and uplift instead of compete. Our organizations have much in common including the leadership of Artistic Advisor Damien Geter, celebrating the beauty of the human voice, a dedication to cultural equity, and keeping our organizations financially sustainable. We’re grateful for our partnership and this community for supporting Resonance Ensemble. Cheers to the next 15 years!”
Both Resonance Ensemble and Portland Opera prioritize the highest level of artistry from our musicians—and, with so many of our musicians participating in both Resonance Ensemble and Portland Opera programming, we are proud to mutually support the careers of several dozen Portland-based vocalists in our community each season.
Damien Geter, Artistic Advisor, Resonance Ensemble and Music Director, Portland Opera (Photo by Rachel Hadiashar)
Supporting highly-crafted performances of music by living composers, both Resonance Ensemble and Portland Opera regularly work to showcase the voices of today. Damien Geter, involved with Resonance Ensemble from the beginning (and whose own career has sky-rocketed following the successful premieres of the Resonance Ensemble-commissioned work, An African American Requiem) also serves as interim Music Director for the Portland Opera. “I think Damien is a genius,” says Sue Dixon, General Director of Portland Opera, also citing “the brilliant work Damien is already doing as an artist and leader in our community and field.” You can see Damien at both Resonance Ensemble’s Black Art Song event this February (curated by Geter himself) and conducting Portland Opera’s performance of The Snowy Day by Joel Thompson this March. Thompson’s work will also be featured on Resonance’s program, Amendments: Righting Our Wrongs — and closing the loop, Geter’s work will be featured on MISSION 15!
Portland Opera first joined Resonance Ensemble’s mission to foster a more collaborative arts community this past year, participating in our “Arts Madness” campaign in March. Led by Resonance Ensemble, the campaign was an unprecedented collaborative endeavor to raise awareness of the vibrant arts offerings in Portland—and will continue bigger than ever this coming March.
“Sue Dixon, Jen Wechsler, and their team at Portland Opera share our values around creating a more collaborative arts community,” says Director of Marketing and Operations Liz Bacon Brownson. “We are so grateful for Portland Opera’s continued support, and look forward to continuing this partnership.”
Learn more about Arts Madness | Learn more about Portland Opera
chamber music northwest
Chamber Music Northwest's Soovin Kim and Gloria Chen with East Coast Chamber Orchestra (July 2023)
Nicole Lane, Marketing & Communications Director for Chamber Music Northwest
Speaking of amazing marketing staff, Resonance Ensemble is so grateful for the efforts of Nicole Lane at Chamber Music Northwest, who inspires us with her tireless advocacy for the arts and consistent presence at local arts events. Nicole is someone who shares Resonance Ensemble’s commitment to creating tangible connections, and has been an integral part of our partnership with Chamber Music Northwest.
Members of CMNW’s 2023 Young Artist Institute
Both Resonance Ensemble and Chamber Music Northwest work to highlight music by artists from a wide array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Chamber Music Northwest’s commissions have included composers from both Portland and beyond, including pieces presented as part of their Protégé Project.
“Commissioning new works by underrepresented composers is a shared commitment at the core of both Chamber Music Northwest and Resonance Ensemble," says Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon. “It was only natural that we support one another’s work.”
Resonance Ensemble is committed to championing the voices of today. We do that directly through our own robust commissioning supported by the Dinah Dodds Fund for the Creation of New Art—and also through supporting amazing organizations like Chamber Music Northwest that understand, champion, and actively create opportunities for living composers to share their work. We are grateful for their active support and look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come, fostering more opportunities for the artists of today.
Learn about the Dinah Dodds Fund | Learn more about Chamber Music Northwest
third angle new music
Resonance Ensemble performs at their Intensive Care concert, with special guest performances that included Third Angle’s Sarah Tiedemann on flute. (Photo by Rachel Hadiashar)
With a shared commitment to championing the voices of today, Resonance has been collaborating and pushing boundaries with Third Angle New Music for more than a decade.
Special guest performer Sarah Tiedemann warms up before the Resonance concert. (Photo by Rachel Hadiashar)
Beginning with our sold-out performance of Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel at the Portland Art Museum in 2012, Resonance and Third Angle joined forces for several environmental-themed works by composer John Luther Adams. Notably, Resonance Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon sang with Third Angle and Sō Percussion as a soloist for Steve Reich’s "Drumming." Third Angle’s Artistic Director Sarah Tiedemann in turn joined Resonance as a flutist for our Intensive Care concert. Such cross-collaborations underscored the shared spirit between the two ensembles.
The Black Art Matters Campaign. Damien Geter and Darrell Grant. (Photo by Intisar Abioto)
The partnership reached new “heights” in 2019 when both organizations were awarded Creative Heights Grants from the Oregon Community Foundation. The grants supported ambitious projects—Third Angle’s world premiere of Darrell Grant’s jazz opera Sanctuaries and Resonance's premiere of Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem. Collaborating under the OCF umbrella, the teams worked with a consultant to devise innovative ways to engage the Portland community around these groundbreaking new works, addressing issues that resonated on a deeply communal level.
From Under the Overpass - featuring Resonance’s Damien Geter and Darrell Grant (piano, composer) (courtesy of Oh! Creative)
However, the unforeseen challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the original premiere plans. Undeterred, both Third Angle and Resonance Ensemble adapted swiftly, finding new avenues to share these essential works. Resonance Ensemble launched the Under the Overpass video series, which included an excerpt from Third Angle’s Sanctuaries project. This collaboration not only shared the music but also provided vital context on Portland's history of redlining practices to a global audience.
As the partnership continues to evolve, the spirit of collaboration remains strong. Darrell Grant, the composer of Sanctuaries, is set to premiere a new work with Resonance Ensemble this March as part of the Amendments: Righting Our Wrongs program.
“Third Angle truly shares our vision of fostering the music of tomorrow,” says Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “We can’t wait to see where our collaborations with Third Angle take us next.”
See our collaboration in action | Learn more about Third Angle New Music
WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER
This post is the last in our series, BETTER TOGETHER.
A warm thank you to ALL of our artistic partners from the past 15 years, and for our audiences for continuing to make these radical collaborations possible.
UP NEXT…
We’ve been putting something special together to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. More from us soon…
Resonance Ensemble announces New Concert with Sweet Honey In The Rock
“We’re going to bring the fire, and we want the audience to be ready to sing with us and have a good time. We always want people to be open, to bring an open heart, a live spirit, and be ready to just go. The music takes you away. So come on, let’s go.”
Sweet Honey In The Rock® announced as new addition to Resonance Ensemble’s 15th anniversary season.
PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble, an award-winning vocal group, announces a new concert for their 15th anniversary season: the world-renowned a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock®.
Resonance opens for the multiple GRAMMY-nominated group in two performances: Friday, April 5, 2024 at 7:30PM at The Reser Center for the Performing Arts in Beaverton (co-sponsored by the Reser), and Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7:30PM at The Armory at Portland Center Stage in downtown Portland.
Audiences who were looking forward to Bobby McFerrin’s recently canceled appearance can still expect to enjoy an evening of music that fuses the elastic possibilities of the human voice. Known as one of the most versatile performing collectives in music today with their deep catalog of socially conscious music rooted in African-American history and culture, Sweet Honey In The Rock® celebrates its 50th anniversary this season – and their legacy aligns perfectly with Resonance Ensemble’s mission of performing music that promotes meaningful social change.
“When we found out Bobby McFerrin was unable to join us due to health reasons, we knew we couldn’t replace that concert with just anyone.” says Katherine FitzGibbon, Artistic Director. “We decided to dream big and reached out to the one group who could possibly match the spirit of Bobby McFerrin. We were delighted when Sweet Honey In The Rock® accepted our invitation.”
ASL provided each concert
American Sign Language Interpretation at Each Performance | Every performance Sweet Honey In The Rock® gives has a core member of the group interweaving dynamic American Sign Language interpretation with the music to create a seamless ballet of movement and voice. These two evening performances will provide an artistic bridge between the Deaf and hearing worlds.
“Sweet Honey speaks of a land that is so rich that when you break the rocks open, honey flows. And we thought it was something like us African-American women... strong like a rock, but inside [there’s] honey — sweet.”
Resonance to Perform as the Opening Act for Both Concerts | As the producing organization, Resonance Ensemble will open for the main act with a set of selections from their own award-winning a cappella commissions for social justice. Works include pieces by composers Jasmine Barnes, Cecille Elliott, and Damien Geter.
Don't miss this remarkable event as Resonance Ensemble and Sweet Honey In The Rock® join forces to create an unforgettable evening that resonates with the power of the human voice.
Tickets will be available for pre-sale starting November 29, and any remaining tickets will be open to the general public on December 6. Ensure you get the first opportunity by subscribing to the Resonance mailing list for exclusive pre-sale access.
For more information, contact resonance ensemble at info@resonancechoral.org.
Note to Journalists: Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon and members of Sweet Honey in the Rock® 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 Sweet Honey In The Rock®
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an American three-time Grammy Award–nominated troupe who express their history as black women through song, dance, and sign language. Originally a four-person ensemble, the group has expanded to five-part harmonies, with a sixth member acting as a sign-language interpreter. Although the members have changed over five decades, the group continues to sing and perform worldwide. Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1973 by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon as part of the D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company with Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson and Mie, Sweet Honey in the Rock has evolved into an international ambassador of a cappella music. The group was founded on the missions of empowerment, education, and entertainment, and has created a deep catalog of beloved socially conscious music rooted in African-American history and culture, always aspiring to make the world a better place for all.
A recent review on NPR proclaimed, “The history of the group… mirrors the effort of the civil rights movement from which it sprung: to raise voices, to empower individuals and to accomplish together what we cannot accomplish alone.”
Sweet Honey in the Rock has performed all over the world, from the South African Embassy – as a featured performer at the 2013 National Memorial Service for Nelson Mandela, to the White House – at the invitation of Michelle Obama to perform a special children’s concert during the first 100 days of her husband’s presidency. Click here for more information.
About Resonance Ensemble
In its fifteenth season, Resonance Ensemble, a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, creates thoughtful programs that promote meaningful social change. Resonance Ensemble works to amplify voices that have long been silenced, and they do so through moving, thematic concerts that highlight solo and choral voices, new and underrepresented composers, visual and other performing artists, and community partners.
Under Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon, Resonance Ensemble has performed challenging and diverse music, always with an eye toward unusual collaborations with artistic partners from around the country: poets, jazz musicians, singer-songwriters, painters, dancers. The Resonance Ensemble singers are “one of the Northwest’s finest choirs” (Willamette Week), with gorgeous vocal tone, and they also make music with heart.
The groundbreaking work that Resonance Ensemble has been producing over the last few years has been noted by local media and national arts organizations. In Oregon Arts Watch, Matthew Andrews described Resonance as “Part social commentary, part group therapy, and part best damn choir show in town" (June 2019). Chorus America honored Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon in the summer of 2019 with the Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal for her work rededicating Resonance to promoting meaningful social change, and for the meaningful community partnerships she creates. For the tribute to Dr. FitzGibbon, please click here.
###
