“Every Action Is A Grain of Sand”
A conversation with Paolo Debuque on
A Grain of Sand, Revisited
This Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 pm, join us as Paolo Debuque, Adrianna Tam, and Shohei Kobayashi lead A Grain of Sand, Revisited, a concert tracing Asian American history and activism through music, memory, and story.
We are deeply grateful to Paolo Debuque for taking the time to sit with us in the final stretch of preparation for this concert and for sharing his reflections so generously.
Can you share what A Thousand Tongues is and how it started?
PD: A Thousand Tongues grew pretty organically out of programming I was doing with friends in Minneapolis. I was working at a church in the suburbs, and we put together a month of AAPI Heritage Month programming where we invited artists in over several Sundays to bring music rooted in their own experience and work with the choir.
Paolo speaks between pieces at an A Thousand Tongues program.
What was important to me in designing this programming wasn't just representing identities or demographics, but giving the artists the space to define themselves on their own terms inside that space. I had always felt a tension with how identity programming can become prescriptive, how it starts to suggest what a particular identity should look or sound like. One moment that really stayed with me was a friend being asked to write a piece for a mental health program, and then being told afterward to make it sound “more mentalhealth-y.” That kind of framing just felt completely backwards to me.
So A Thousand Tongues really grew from wanting to resist that impulse. When working with artists, our conversations start with prompts like “reflect on your identity (ethnic and otherwise), and let’s find the music that feels most important or relevant to you.” The idea is to create space where people can bring their own experience forward in whatever language that takes.
What does “Asian American identity” mean to you?
PD: For a long time, I didn’t feel like I could fully claim space as an advocate. I didn’t feel “Asian enough”—I don’t speak either of my parents’ languages, I don’t have deep ongoing connections to what people might think of as the motherland, and I carried a lot of ideas about what I lacked.
What I’ve learned is that there isn’t a single thing that Asian American identity should be. Every experience I have is an Asian American experience. The more I’ve been able to let go of that pressure to define it narrowly, the more I’ve been able to actually see the shared threads in all of it.
What drew you to A Grain of Sand?
Folk trio Chris Kando Iijima, Nobuko Miyamot, and William "Charlie" Chin
PD: What struck me first about the music on this album is how immediately it still resonates. The specifics are different now, but the way oppression operates, the way systems hold power, the way people are pushed to the margins—it’s all still recognizably here.
It could have been written yesterday. It could be written fifty years from now. And at the same time, there’s something in it that carries a sense of possibility. When I first worked on it with Shohei and Adrianna, there was something about singing it together that made it feel less like looking back and more like something active—something we were still inside of.
It didn’t feel like an archive. It felt like a conversation we were stepping into.
What is it like working with Shohei and Adrianna on this project?
Paolo, Adrianna, and Shohei with Minnesota Chorale
PD: It’s honestly one of the most meaningful parts of the whole thing for me. There’s something about the three of us doing this work together that mirrors the original trio in A Grain of Sand. It’s not something we planned in a symbolic way, but it’s something we feel in the room. There’s a kind of alignment between friendship, trust, and interpretation that makes the music feel really alive.
We’ve worked on this across different places and versions of the program, and it’s been this ongoing process of returning to it together, adjusting it, sitting inside it again. It keeps changing because we keep changing.
Can you talk about the idea behind the title A Grain of Sand?
PD: There’s a story about a man trying to move a mountain one grain of sand at a time. The idea is that the mountain is only ever made of grains of sand, and each one removed is part of a longer, collective process that continues beyond any single person.
This concert is another grain of sand. Every action we take against systems of oppression is another grain of sand. It’s not about scale in a single moment—it’s about what accumulates over time, and what gets made possible because of that persistence.
Are there any pieces on the program that are especially important to you?
Hundreds of thousands of people filling up Epifanio de los Santos Avenue during the People Power Revolution
PD: We are performing a piece called BAYAN KO 2.0 by Nilo Alcala. My dad marched in the People Power Revolution in the Philippines, and every night people would come out into the streets and sing “Bayan Ko” together. It’s one of those songs that carries a very direct line to lived history for me.
At one point, I questioned whether it was really mine to sing, or whether I was overstepping something by continuing to perform it so I stopped singing it.
But people in my community pushed back on that. They said, you need to sing Bayan Ko.
Whenever I sing or conduct the song, I can look out and see members of my Filipino community singing along, closing their eyes, tearing up, sometimes all at the same time. It feels less like performing something from the past and more like carrying something forward on behalf of my people.
What do you hope audiences leave Sunday’s Concert with?
PD: I don’t think it’s about leaving with a specific idea or takeaway. I hope people leave feeling connected to what happened in the room, and maybe a little more open, more curious in a way that they weren’t before.
A lot of the time, change doesn’t start with understanding something new in a purely intellectual way. It starts with feeling like you’re part of something larger than yourself. That feeling can be subtle, but it stays with you.
EXPERIENCE A GRAIN OF SAND, REVISITED LIVE THIS SUNDAY!
A GRAIN OF SAND, REVISITED
Sunday, June 7 | 2pm
@Alberta Rose Theatre
Join us after the program for a special post-concert panel with Paolo, Adrianna, Shohei, and Resonance Ensemble Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon!
Resonance Ensemble Awarded Rossotti Family Foundation Grant to Advance Mission-Driven Programming
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Resonance Ensemble Awarded Rossotti Family Foundation Grant to Advance Mission-Driven Programming
PORTLAND, OR — April 28, 2026— Resonance Ensemble is proud to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Rossotti Family Foundation — marking the first time the organization has received funding from the Foundation.
The Rossotti Family Foundation is a private philanthropic organization that supports nonprofit organizations focused on access to justice, positive youth development and education, and vocal music performance and education.
This grant will directly support Resonance Ensemble’s core artistic and organizational work, strengthening its ability to produce high-quality performances, commission new works, compensate artists fairly, and expand community access to transformative choral music experiences.
Resonance Ensemble is a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to performing powerful concerts that spark meaningful social change through commissioning, collaboration, and connection. Under the artistic leadership of Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon, the ensemble is known for its radically collaborative programming, which brings composers, poets, visual artists, and community partners into conversation with choral music on stage.
The ensemble has earned regional and national recognition for its innovative approach to choral performance. The Oregonian recently named Resonance Ensemble Portland’s “most socially conscious classical music institution,” and Oregon ArtsWatch has described its performances as “part social commentary, part group therapy, and part best damn choir show in town.”
“We are deeply grateful to the Rossotti Family Foundation for this support,” said Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon. “This investment strengthens our ability to sustain our artistic work responsibly—supporting our artists, deepening community partnerships, and creating meaningful shared experiences through music.”
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MEDIA CONTACT || Liz Bacon Brownson
liz@resonancechoral.org || 971-212-8034
Resonance Ensemble Closes Season with Music Reflecting on Asian American History & Identity
Historic Protest Songs Meet Contemporary Choral Works in a Collaboration with A Thousand Tongues.
On Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 PM, Resonance Ensemble closes its season with A Grain of Sand, Revisited, at the Alberta Rose Theatre, presented in collaboration with Minneapolis-based arts organization A Thousand Tongues (ATT). Through music and storytelling, the program asks us to consider what is at stake in revisiting and redefining Asian America today.
In 1973, New York-based activists Chris Kando Iijima, Nobuko Miyamoto, and Charlie Chin recorded A Grain of Sand: Music for the Struggle by Asians in America. Raw, intimate, and politically urgent, the album captured the voices of a generation newly claiming the term “Asian American,” with songs rooted in anti-war activism, interracial solidarity, and anti-imperialist struggle.
A. Tam, Conductor & Co-Curator
A Grain of Sand, Revisited premiered with Minnesota Chorale to enthusiastic audiences in 2025, co-curated and led by Paolo Debuque (Founding Artistic Director of A Thousand Tongues), Adrianna Tam (Luther College), and Shohei Kobayashi (Resonance Associate Conductor). The program brings selected covers from the original album, arranged by Debuque, Tam, and Kobayashi, into conversation with composers and writers of the broader Asian diaspora; personal anecdotes and historical context; and archival images.
Tam reflects on access to community and belonging. “Without realizing it, I grew up in a part of Texas with relatively easy and frequent access to my cultural community. Since moving to a small college town in the Midwest, I’ve had to grapple with feelings of isolation and not belonging that I didn’t anticipate experiencing in my own country,” shares Tam. “A Thousand Tongues has become an important ‘third space’ where I can be in community and share my and others’ stories through song.”
Closing a season defined by honoring resilience, A Grain of Sand, Revisited invites Portland audiences to listen across five decades and consider what it means to carry these voices forward now.
P. Debuque, Conductor & Co-curator
“A Grain of Sand is a powerful display of political action through music; programming around it has been so fulfilling,” says Debuque. “We can’t wait to share this concert with Resonance’s Portland audience.”
During the concert, Resonance Ensemble will also announce its 2026–27 season, offering audiences a first look at what’s ahead.
Tickets and more at resonancechoral.org
Resonance Ensemble Awarded 2026 Dale Warland Singers Commission Grant to Collaborate with Composer Caroline Shaw
The treble singers of Resonance Ensemble with Caroline Shaw and Danni Parpan (Ringdown, far left), and Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon (center front).
New Commission with Caroline Shaw to be Premiered in 2027–28 Season
Portland, OR — Resonance Ensemble is honored to announce that it has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Dale Warland Singers Commission Grant, awarded by Chorus America in partnership with the American Composers Forum. The grant will support a new choral work by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Caroline Shaw, to be premiered in Resonance Ensemble’s 2027–28 season.
This prestigious national grant supports the creation and performance of artistically meaningful new choral music that engages communities. Selected annually by a panel curated by Chorus America, the award provides $10,000 to the recipient ensemble, including $7,500 toward the commissioning fee and $2,500 to support composer engagement, production, and promotion.
The award brings national recognition to Resonance Ensemble, a Portland-based professional choir, in collaboration with Portland-based composer Caroline Shaw. The commission builds on Shaw’s earlier a cappella work so quietly, which explored a young woman beginning to acknowledge her voice. The new work will expand this narrative, examining a more seasoned perspective on leadership, agency, and the power of collective voice.
“This project reflects our deep commitment to amplifying living composers and creating music that speaks to our time,” said Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “Since our first collaborations with Caroline Shaw, we have dreamed of commissioning a new work for our treble singers. We are deeply honored to bring this vision to life and share it with our community and the broader choral field.”
L to R: Cecille Elliott, Danni Parpan, Caroline Shaw, and Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. Photo by R. Hadiashar.
“Having collaborated with Resonance previously, I am thrilled to continue our creative partnership,” said Caroline Shaw. “Part of what made our earlier collaboration so special was a fierce commitment to texts that amplify the contemporary female experience — both the ways we feel vulnerable and the ways we build strength in community. I look forward to creating a new work that carries this vision forward.”
The project will include multiple performances across Oregon, educational workshops with high school students in Portland Public Schools, and a recording initiative aimed at sharing the work with choirs worldwide.
“The Dale Warland Singers Commission Grant exists to bring meaningful new music to life, and Resonance Ensemble’s project with Caroline Shaw does exactly that,” said Christopher Eanes, President and CEO of Chorus America. “This commission highlights the power of choral music to illuminate the human experience and expand the repertoire in ways that are deeply needed.”
Loki Karuna, Executive Director of the American Composers Forum, added, “Resonance Ensemble’s commitment to expanding repertoire for treble voices is vital to the continued evolution of the choral tradition in America. We are proud to support a project that aligns so strongly with our mission to advocate for today’s music creators.”
The Dale Warland Singers Commission Grant honors the legacy of Dale Warland, founder of the internationally acclaimed Dale Warland Singers, and his lifelong dedication to championing new choral music. The grant is funded through the Dale Warland Singers Fund for New Choral Music, a permanently restricted endowment established in 2004.
Read the full announcement from Chorus America here.
About Resonance Ensemble
Resonance Ensemble is a professional choral ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to presenting powerful, socially relevant programs that amplify underrepresented voices and foster meaningful dialogue through music. Learn more at resonancechorus.org.
About Chorus America
Chorus America is the advocacy, research, and leadership development organization that advances the choral field. Serving more than 4,000 choruses, individuals, businesses, and organizations, Chorus America provides tools, training, and resources that strengthen the ability of choruses to contribute meaningfully to their communities. Learn more at chorusamerica.org.
About American Composers Forum
The American Composers Forum supports and advocates for living music creators through programs that commission, fund, and elevate new work, strengthening the ecosystem for contemporary music in the United States. Learn more at composersforum.org.
The North American Indigenous Songbook
“The power of nature is so integrated into everyday life in the Pacific Northwest, and this is why it is so exciting to bring this repertoire to the stage with Resonance Ensemble.”
Resonance Ensemble Presents the West Coast Premiere of
The North American Indigenous Songbook
Indigenous voices reshape the art song tradition in a historic Portland performance.
Known for its fearless programming and nationally-recognized collaborations, Resonance Ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of The North American Indigenous Songbook on Sunday, March 8 at the Alberta Rose Theatre. The program partners curator/pianist Timothy Long (Muscogee Creek & Choctaw Nations) with Resonance’s soloists to bring this landmark repertoire — including the first performances of new works from the forthcoming Volume 2 — to Portland audiences. Guest conductor/composer Danielle Jagelski (Oneida Nation & Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe) guides the choral ensemble in performances of her own works and additional Indigenous choral composers.
About the North American Indigenous Songbook
Conceived by Long to address the absence of Native composers in the traditional art song canon, the Songbook provides a platform for Indigenous composers to create new works for recital and concert stages. Since its New York debut in November 2024, the project has continued to expand, with the forthcoming Volume 2 introducing a fresh set of commissioned works.
“Although I knew such music existed,” Long says, “none that I knew was written for singers in the concert hall. The North American Indigenous Songbook attempts to fill this void by creating a new library of repertoire written by descendants of the first inhabitants of North America.”
Long emphasizes that accessibility is central to the project. “One of the rules of this Songbook is that we want everybody to be able to sing these songs.”
“Our singers thrive in repertoire that demands precision, imagination, and emotional depth — and this music calls for all three,” says Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “The North American Indigenous Songbook represents a living expansion of the art song tradition, and we are honored to bring it to life with the level of artistry and care it deserves.”
Concert Highlights
West Coast premiere of The North American Indigenous Songbook, Volume 1
World premieres of songs from Volume 2 by composers Danielle Jagelski (Oneida Nation & Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe) and Marion Newman (Kwagiulth & Stó:lō First Nations)
Volume 1 repertoire by Dawn Avery (Mohawk), Raven Chacon (Diné), Connor Chee (Diné), and R. Carlos Nakai ( Navajo‑Ute)
Choral works conducted by Jagelski, including her own works, “Yôtin” by Sherryl Sewepagaham (Cree), and On Stochastic Wave Behavior by Leilehua Lanzilotti (Native Hawaiian), previously performed only by A Roomful of Teeth
Immersive visual art by Cherokee photographer Joe Cantrell
Jagelski, known to Portland audiences as Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Renegade Opera, is also an award-winning composer and conductor, and a recipient of multiple national awards in contemporary opera, including the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
"The power of nature is so integrated into everyday life in the Pacific Northwest, and this is why it is so exciting to bring this repertoire to the stage with Resonance Ensemble.” says Jagelski. “At a time when governmental forces are actively fighting to sever the connection between the land and it's people, it is more important than ever to delve deeper into that relationship.”
The concert is part of Resonance Ensemble’s 2025–26 season, which highlights contemporary music, collaboration, and programs that examine identity and community through performance.
For more information visit resonancechoral.org/indigenous-songbook. Tickets available at Alberta Rose Theatre.
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Note to Journalists: Katherine FitzGibbon, Shohei Kobayashi, and featured guests are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information on our season or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@ohcreativepdx.com or by calling 971-212-8034.
About Resonance Ensemble
Under the direction of Katherine FitzGibbon, Resonance Ensemble is a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, known for bold, thematic concerts that spark conversation and connection through voice, music, and creative partnerships. Now in its 17th season, the ensemble presents programs that commission new works, collaborate across disciplines, and bring voices that reflect identity, memory, and resilience to the stage. For this concert, Resonance collaborates with Timothy Long, Danielle Jagelski, and visual artist Joe Cantrell to create a multi-disciplinary performance that blends music, voice, and image.
About Katherine FitzGibbon – Artistic Director
Katherine FitzGibbon is Founder, Artistic Director, and conductor of Resonance Ensemble, leading the ensemble in programs that blend classical choral traditions with contemporary music, collaboration, and community engagement.
Guest Artists Bios
Timothy Long (Muscogee Creek and Choctaw Nations) – Curator
Pianist and conductor Timothy Long is Artistic and Music Director of Opera at the Eastman School of Music and assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. Long conceived the Songbook to create concert repertoire by Native and Indigenous composers, filling a longstanding gap in the classical canon.
Danielle Jagelski (Oneida Nation and Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe) – Guest Conductor
Danielle Jagelski is a composer, conductor, and Artistic Director of Renegade Opera. Her work explores resilience, identity, and ancestral memory. For this concert, she leads selections of her own choral works.
Joe Cantrell (Cherokee) – Visual Artist
Portland-based Cherokee artist Joe Cantrell creates photography that engages deeply with Indigenous history and perspective. A long-time collaborator with Resonance Ensemble, his work will be integrated into the concert to create an immersive, multi-disciplinary experience.
NATIONAL PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Martha Stewart Blog
NYT Article
CNN Interview First of All: with Victor Blackwell
Arts Madness is Back!
PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble announces the return of their March community initiative: Arts Madness! Founded in support of the vibrant arts scene here in Portland, Resonance and over a dozen other local arts organizations have come together to offer discounts on shows, merch, and more throughout the month of March.
"More than ever, local arts organizations need local support,” shares Liz Bacon Brownson, Director of Marketing for Resonance Ensemble. “Spending with intention helps to shape the world we want to see—and Arts Madness is for all who want to see the vibrant arts scene in Portland continue to flourish.”
From opera and chamber music to live theatre and immersive experiences, Arts Madness aims to encourage arts lovers from all over PDX to further explore our region’s arts scene.
“It is always such a delight to participate in Arts Madness —aka the arts fans version of spring sports season—alongside our performing arts friends, all thanks to the vision and efforts of Resonance Ensemble!” shares Nicole Lane, Marketing & Communications Director for Chamber Music Northwest.
Portland Opera is also thrilled to once again partner with Arts Madness. “Building community is at the core of our mission,” says Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts, “and Arts Madness allows us to broaden our reach and introduce new folks to our art form. Bravi, Arts Madness!"
“Portland Playhouse is grateful to be building community through mutual support with this group of organizations,” reflects Portland Playhouse Marketing & Communications Director Cassie Greer. “We know that arts have incredible healing power, and we hope this Arts Madness also brings some more Wellness to our world.”
Arts Madness 2026 includes TWENTY EVENTS from over a dozen local favorites:
A Notion, A Scream
Cappella Romana
Chamber Music Northwest
Fear No Music
45th Parallel Universe
In Medio
In Mulieribus
Milagro Theatre
Orchestra Nova Northwest
Oregon Symphony
Portland Baroque Orchestra
Portland Center Stage
Portland Opera
Portland Playhouse
Renegade Opera
Resonance Ensemble
Third Angle New Music
“One of the best things about living and creating art in Portland is the way our arts organizations support one another year after year,” says Resonance Ensemble staff member Kimberly Osberg, Arts Madness coordinator. “This is a great way to explore offerings from our community you might not otherwise check out, and we hope audiences will pair their favorites with something new to them!”
How It Works
This year, discounts are more accessible than ever—simply find the event you want to attend on our Arts Madness page, click the link, and apply the listed discount codes at check out!
See the full calendar of events and get your discount codes at the link below:
New Release: “Safe Harbor” Out Now!
“This is more than an album — it is lived experiences transformed into sound. ”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reflect. Reimagine. Resonance Ensemble’s Safe Harbor Arrives on Two CDs
12 new choral commissions bring stories of sanctuary, resilience, and hope to life.
PORTLAND, OR —January 30, 2026 — Acclaimed choral ensemble Resonance Ensemble presents Safe Harbor, a collection of 12 world-premiere commissions exploring sanctuary, grief, resilience, and hope. In a moment when the world seeks connection and reflection, these works offer a space to pause, engage, and be inspired.
Since its founding, Resonance Ensemble has commissioned nearly 20 works, often addressing social justice and contemporary issues. This second album continues the ensemble’s commitment to showcasing the artistic and emotional power of choral music from a broad spectrum of perspectives.
The composers and poets of Safe Harbor
Safe Harbor features compositions and poetry from nationally and locally recognized artists, including Jasmine Barnes, Kenji Bunch, Cecille Elliott, Damien Geter, Darrell Grant, Joe Kye, Judy A. Rose, Mari Esabel Valverde, Sonya Renee Taylor, Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi, and James DePreist. Narration and poetry are provided by S. Renee Mitchell and A. Mimi Sei, and instrumental contributions include Pacific Northwest flutist Adam Eccleston, pianist Hannah Brewer, violinists Gisela Rodriguez Fernandez and Ryan Downs, violist Lisa Zweben, and cellists Valdine Mishkin and Nancy Ives.
“Each piece on Safe Harbor tells a story,” said Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “These commissions allow composers to share the experiences, ideas, and messages that matter to them, creating music that connects, challenges, and inspires listeners.”
The album is named after Joe Kye Safe Harbor, which reflects on his experiences as an immigrant and the ongoing humanitarian crises at our borders.
“Safe Harbor is my personal exploration of movement and migration, and a vision for a society that uplifts voices of those unheard and unsupported,” Kye said.
Conductors FitzGibbon, Geter, and Kobayashi
Conducted by FitzGibbon, associate conductor Shohei Kobayashi, and artistic advisor and composer Damien Geter, Safe Harbor captures the passionate interpretations of new music that audiences expect from Resonance Ensemble, making it a landmark release in the choral world.
Safe Harbor is available now on Aerocade Music. Review copies, high-resolution images, and interview opportunities with composers and performers are available upon request.
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It’s more than a theme—it’s a promise.
Through Resonance, we are reminded of the power of the choral art and the ways in which it tells the stories of our lives. — Daryl Browne, Oregon ArtsWatch
Dear Friend of Resonance,
The world is loud. We hear the news, the debates, the clamor of everyday life. Music—the sound of live music—has a way of cutting through it. It reminds us who we are, what we care about, and the world we hope to build.
This season, Resonance Ensemble presents The Sound of Us. It’s more than a theme—it’s a promise: that our performances will be powerful and heartfelt; that the voices you hear are some of the finest in the Pacific Northwest; that everything we do is rooted in our community of collaborators—and that you, our supporters, are an essential part of this sound. None of it happens without you.
What is the Sound of Us?
It’s the voices of our city, our region, and our nation, brought to life in music.
We put composers at the forefront of every program, commissioning visionary new music and partnering with extraordinary artists—Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw, Sweet Honey in the Rock®, and others. This is new repertoire you won’t hear anywhere else, performed by musicians at the top of their craft.
It’s world-class recordings.
This January, we release Safe Harbor, a new album featuring twelve Resonance commissions from composers Jasmine Barnes, Kenji Bunch, Cecille Elliott, Damien Geter, Darrell Grant, Joe Kye, Kimberly R. Osberg, Judy A. Rose, and Mari Esabel Valverde. Each piece reflects our commitment to artistry, community, and truth.
It’s moments still to come.
Our season continues with a world premiere commission from Sweet Honey in the Rock in January, a West Coast premiere of a landmark collection of vocal music by Indigenous composers in March, and a poignant musical reflection on Asian American stories of political formation in June. Every performance is a collaboration—with artists, communities, and you.
YOU are the Sound of Us.
Every gift pays artists, supports visionary composers, and shares this music with the world.
Will you help us raise $20,000 by Dec. 31 to carry The Sound of Us into 2026 and beyond?
On behalf of the Resonance Ensemble Board of Directors and staff, thank you for your ongoing support. With your gift, the music doesn’t just rise above the noise—it lights the path forward.
Sincerely,
Katherine FitzGibbon
Artistic Director
Reflecting on The Sound of Us
Guest artist Bora Yoon, alongside Conductor Katherine FitzGibbon and musicians from Resonance Ensemble and Fear No Music take their final bows as the audience applauds. (Photo: Liz Bacon Brownson, via cell phone)
Check out the Oregon ArtsWatch review!
“Beams of Light: Resonance Ensemble and Fear No Music Sound Like Portland.”
On Friday, October 24th, Resonance and Fear No Music presented a joint program in partnership with Portland Public Schools as part of the Oregon Symphony’s Sounds Like Portland Festival. The performance, comprised entirely of composers and musicians from our city, took place at the newly-renovated Benson High School Auditorium and featured special guest artist Bora Yoon.
The program was recorded and will soon be available online for free, thanks to the generous support of the Resonance Ensemble Access Project (REAP). In the meantime, explore the gallery below to relive the evening — click any image to see more context!
All photos by Resonance’s resident photographer, Rachel Hadiashar, unless otherwise noted.
UP NEXT FOR RESONANCE | SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK!
From our last performance with Sweet Honey in 2024
Resonance welcomes back the iconic a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, known for their singular blend of vocal power, spiritual grounding, and deep-rooted calls for justice. These matriarchs of musical resistance return for two special performances—culminating in the world premiere of a new work commissioned especially for this season, created for Resonance and Sweet Honey to perform together.
The program opens with Resonance Ensemble, followed by a featured set by Sweet Honey in the Rock, and concludes with the debut of this powerful new collaborative piece.
Saturday, January 24 2026 | 7:30 pm | Newmark Theatre
Sunday, January 25, 2026 | 3:00 pm | The Reser
RESONANCE & FEAR NO MUSIC PRESENT “THE SOUND OF US” WITH SPECIAL GUEST BORA YOON
RESONANCE ENSEMBLE AND FEAR NO MUSIC PRESENT
THE SOUND OF US, CELEBRATING INNOVATIVE LOCAL COMPOSERS,
WITH SPECIAL GUEST BORA YOON
Part of the Oregon Symphony’s Sounds Like Portland Festival and
presented in collaboration with Portland Public Schools
PORTLAND, OR – Resonance Ensemble and Fear No Music open their 2025-26 seasons with THE SOUND OF US. Part of the Oregon Symphony’s Sounds Like Portland festival, this one-night only program showcases visionary works by composers living and creating in Portland today, including special guest performer/composer Bora Yoon and composers Cecille Elliott, Renée Favand-See, Sydney Guillaume, Lisa Neher, Stacey Philipps, Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw, and Joan Szymko.
The performance marks the first professional concert at the newly-renovated Benson Polytechnic High School Auditorium, a beautiful historic concert hall that once served as Portland’s Civic Theatre. The performance will engage young musicians through partnerships with Portland Public Schools and provide a platform for local voices.
“Resonance prides itself on placing Portland-based artists at the foreground of our artistic planning,” says Resonance Ensemble Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon. “We’re thrilled to present this performance with Fear No Music, who share this goal – they are the perfect partners for this Portland love fest.”
The program features special guest Korean-American, composer/performer Bora Yoon, Assistant Professor of Music at Reed College and a 2025 Koussevitzky Music Commission recipient, whose genre-defying performances blend classical voice, electronics, instruments of various cultures and centuries, and immersive media. Yoon has performed nationally from Carnegie Hall to the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and she now calls Portland home.
“I have admired Resonance Ensemble and Fear no Music for a long time for their commitment to living artists and their vital role in Portland’s vibrant music community,” shares Bora Yoon. “I love this city, and I am thrilled to be sharing my work as part of this exciting first concert of the season.”
The concert will feature works ranging from Yoon’s atmospheric vocal works to indie pop-inspired a cappella repertoire and new instrumental and vocal chamber music, with texts that advocate for connection and for a better world.
“Fear No Music is thrilled to be part of this community-driven collaboration,” shares FNM Executive Director, Monica Ohuchi. “This evening will be a real celebration of Portland voices–instrumentalists, vocalists, and organizations alike!”
“Stand in the middle of the Rose City this fall and listen… that wonderful blend of local creativity, innovation, and collaboration—Sounds Like Portland, right?”
The newly renovated Benson High School Auditorium
Marking the fifth season of Resonance’s partnership with Portland Public Schools, and continuing Fear No Music’s long-time commitment to working with student artists, this concert provides an access point for young audiences. Resonance and Fear No Music will offer free tickets to PPS students and families, and collaborate with educators to develop curriculum and artistic engagement opportunities connected to the concert’s themes and creators.
“Arts experiences are essential for all PPS students and families,” says PPS Head of Visual & Performing Arts, Kristen Brayson. “We are grateful to Resonance and Fear No Music for providing access and engaging directly with students, advancing deep learning and equity across our schools.”
This performance is part of the Oregon Symphony’s Sounds Like Portland Festival, a three-week celebration of local music with concerts and events happening across the city, highlighting Portland’s vibrant local arts scene.
Single tickets for The Sound of Us on sale now.
For tickets and more information, visit resonancechoral.org.
The Sound of Us
Presented by Resonance Ensemble & Fear No Music in partnership with Portland Public Schools as part of the Oregon Symphony’s Sounds Like Portland Festival.
Friday, October 24 | 7:30pm
Benson High School Auditorium
Featured Artists Include:
Bora Yoon, special guest artist
Katherine FitzGibbon, conductor
Resonance Ensemble treble voices
Keiko Araki & Emily Cole, violin
Kenji Bunch, viola
Nancy Ives, cello
Monica Ohuchi, piano
Discounts available for seniors, students, artists, and Portland Public School students & families.
