Resonance & ONN Stand United as NEA Withdraws Support
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joint Statement from Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest
PORTLAND, OR — May 9, 2025 | Following the recent performance of Resonance Nova—a collaborative concert rooted in themes of truth, equity, and peace—Orchestra Nova Northwest (ONN) and Resonance Ensemble were informed that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has retroactively withdrawn a major project grant that helped fund the concert.
(L to R) Shohei Kobayashi, Resonance Ensemble, Kathy FitzGibbon, Resonance Ensemble, Steven Byess, Orchestra Nova Northwest
This decision reflects a disturbing national trend: the targeting of public arts funding – including for projects that confront injustice.
“Resonance Nova highlighted the challenges of our time, but also called all of us to action—reminding us of music’s transformative power to inspire empathy, demand justice, and instill compassion,” said Kevin Irving, Executive Director of Orchestra Nova Northwest. “It was everything the arts should be: deeply connected to what makes us human—the need to care for one another, to listen, to reflect, and to act. To lose public funding for this kind of work is alarming—but it won’t stop us.”
In a gesture of solidarity, Resonance Ensemble will donate 50% of ticket sales from its upcoming We Are Still Here performance (June 1) to Orchestra Nova Northwest over the next week. This act of support underscores the strength of Portland’s artistic community—and the importance of standing together when the value of art is challenged.
“We will continue to raise our voices,” said Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon, Artistic Director of Resonance Ensemble. “We stand with our partners at ONN and with everyone who believes in the power of music to tell the truth and move people to action. This is at the core of our values as an organization and why we do this work.”
ONN continues its season with TESTIMONY (May 17 & 18), a concert featuring acclaimed pianist Yaron Kohlberg in a program that speaks to resilience and resistance through powerful works by Prokofiev and Shostakovich.
Together, Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest reaffirm what the arts community has long known: art is essential, not optional—and in the face of growing resistance to truth-telling in the arts, solidarity will always be louder.
Both organizations urge the public to continue supporting the arts in all its forms: donate to local organizations, buy tickets, amplify this message—and take action. One powerful step anyone can take is to contact their members of Congress through the Arts Action Fund—an easy tool to advocate for public funding for the arts.
For more information about ONN’s TESTIMONY head to novanw.org
For more information about RE’s We Are Still Here, head to resonancechoral.org
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Note to Journalists: Kevin Irving and Kathy FitzGibbon 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 media@novanw.org, info@resonancechoral.org, or by calling 971-212-8034.
About Orchestra Nova Northwest (ONN) —Playing a critical role in the artistic landscape of the Portland Metro area, ONN provides affordable and comfortable concert environments for audiences of all kinds, while also providing competitive, creative jobs and opportunities for the area’s leading freelance professionals, music educators, and newly established conservatory-trained musicians. As the only orchestra that performs regularly in East County, ONN continues to invest in communities and areas in our region that have been historically under-represented and complements its concert programming with multiple educational and outreach initiatives aimed at enlarging the audience for symphonic music in our region. Read more here.
About Resonance Ensemble — Now in its sixteenth season, Resonance Ensemble is a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, known for curating bold, thematic concerts that inspire social change. Led by Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon, Resonance champions underrepresented voices—amplifying composers, poets, and collaborators too often excluded from the stage. Described by Willamette Week as “one of the Northwest’s finest choirs,” Resonance brings emotional depth and technical excellence to programs that span genres and generations. The ensemble regularly commissions new work that reflects the complexity of today’s world, with recent collaborators including Jasmine Barnes, Kenji Bunch, Joe Kye, A. Mimi Sei, and Caroline Shaw. Read more here.
RESONANCE ENSEMBLE and PORTLAND ASSEMBLY CENTER PROJECT present “WE ARE STILL HERE” at the VANPORT MOSAIC FESTIVAL
An afternoon of music, theatre, and movement, spotlighting the history of the Portland Assembly Center where nearly 4,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated.
“Eighty three years later, on This Land...We Still Sing America.”
On Sunday, June 1st at 3:00 pm, as the culminating event of the 10th Annual Vanport Mosaic Festival (May 17 - June 1), Resonance Ensemble and Vanport Mosaic present We Are Still Here—an immersive site-specific performance at the Portland Expo Center, the former site of Japanese American incarceration during World War II.
This powerful afternoon brings together the award-winning voices of Resonance Ensemble under its Associate Conductor Shohei Kobayashi; the world premiere of a new commission by Kenji Bunch; and the Portland Assembly Center Project’s unique blend of poetry, movement, and narratives devised by Chisao Hata, a third-generation Japanese American artist and cultural organizer, in collaboration with actor and director Heath Hyun Houghton, amplifying the words and memories of Japanese Americans incarcerated at this historic site. Through song, spoken word, and embodied storytelling, We Are Still Here confronts the legacy of injustice and the urgent need to reckon with this chapter of Portland’s shared history.
Portland Expo Center
THE HISTORY
More than 120,000 Japanese Americans—most of them U.S. citizens—were forcibly removed from their homes and unjustly incarcerated during World War II. This mass incarceration was authorized by Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, which gave the military the power to exclude and detain people of Japanese ancestry without due process.
In Portland, the Pacific International Livestock Exposition Center was quickly converted into the Portland Assembly Center, one of 15 temporary detention sites used to confine Japanese Americans before they were sent to more permanent concentration camps like Minidoka in Idaho. From May to September 1942, approximately 3,676 Japanese and Japanese Americans from Oregon and southwest Washington were held in overcrowded, inhumane makeshift conditions at what is now known as the Portland Expo Center. We Are Still Here activates this historic space through music, poetry, movement, and theater.
THE PERFORMANCE AND ARTISTIC COLLABORATION
Commissioned composer, Kenji Bunch
This collaborative performance brings together Resonance Ensemble and the Portland Assembly Center Project to offer a layered reflection on memory, displacement, and collective reckoning. The Portland Assembly Center Project's original work is the culmination of three years of community-centered process and creative development. Weaving together reader’s theater, movement, archival materials, and survivor testimonies, the Portland Assembly Center Project seeks to reclaim the Expo Center as a space for remembrance, resistance, and healing.
“The weaving of community taking place in the creation of We Are Still Here is important work,” says Kobayashi. “I am inspired by Chisao and Heath and their vision for telling these stories — especially as we witness and cry out against the authoritarian rise in abductions by ICE and the increasing population of prisoners at inhumane detention centers. It is critical that we grapple with the connections between this history and our current struggles.”
The musical elements of the program by Resonance Ensemble, directed by Associate Conductor Shohei Kobayashi, include works by Eric Tuan, Toru Takemitsu, Ayanna Woods, and Caroline Shaw, alongside the world premiere of On This Land, a double-choir composition by Kenji Bunch, setting an original poem by Chisao Hata.
Community Weaver & Portland Assembly Center Project Creator, Chisao Hata
“It’s a huge honor for me to work with Resonance Ensemble and to be a part of Vanport Mosaic’s program to close this year’s festival,” says Bunch. “As a Japanese-American, it’s particularly meaningful to be involved in the important work of memory activism for our community. I feel strongly that only through learning and understanding our shared past can we heal and move forward together, and the concert on June 1st will be an important step in this process.”
Hata, whose parents were incarcerated at Poston, Arizona, draws from her family’s experience. Her piece incorporates poetry by Lawson Inada, Ken Yoshikawa, and Hata herself, with music by Joe Kye and a special appearance by Toshiko Namioka, honoring the lived experiences of survivors and their descendants.
“I am who I am because of Executive Order 9066,” says Hata. “It shaped my life, isolated me from the community, and denied my parents and so many Japanese Americans their dignity and rights. Who might I have become if racism hadn’t impacted my life so deeply?”
A CULMINATING WEEKEND OF THE VANPORT MOSAIC FESTIVAL
We Are Still Here concludes the final weekend of the 10th Vanport Mosaic Festival, marking a decade of memory activism dedicated to amplifying silenced histories and celebrating resilience, solidarity, and radical imagination.
Over two weeks (May 17 - June 1, 2025), the festival honors the past and present experiences of communities of color impacted by displacement, exclusion, and systemic injustice.
On Saturday, May 31, Vanport Mosaic hosts a day of reclamation and reactivation at two key historic sites: Delta Park, the former site of Vanport, and the Portland Expo Center, once the Portland Assembly Center. Through tours, performances, pop-up exhibits, story circles, film screenings, and a memory activism fair, the day acknowledges the layered histories and ongoing legacies of displacement and resilience within Portland’s Indigenous, Black, and Japanese American communities.
That evening, Chamber Music Northwest and the Portland Japanese Garden will present a concert featuring Kenji Bunch, George Takei, and works by Andy Akiho and Paul Chihara—offering another powerful reflection on Japanese American history through music.
“This is not just a performance. It’s a declaration. It’s a reminder that the land remembers even when the official record tries to forget,” says Laura Lo Forti, co-founder and director of Vanport Mosaic. “We Are Still Here is memory activism in action. It is a ceremony, a reckoning, and a refusal to let erased histories stay buried. We return to this site not to reenact the past, but to confront it, name it, and make space for healing.”
For tickets to We Are Still Here, click here.
For more on the 10th annual Vanport Mosaic Festival visit VanportFestival10
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
WHAT: WE ARE STILL HERE
WHEN: SUNDAY | JUNE 1, 2025 | 3 PM
WHERE: Portland Expo Center | Hall A | 2060 Marine Drive W | Portland, OR 97217
TICKET INFORMATION:
$35 General Admission
$15 Student/Working Artist/Veteran
$5 Arts for All (available at the door only)
Click here to purchase tickets
Note to Journalists: Katherine FitzGibbon, Shohei Kobayashi, Kenji Bunch, Laura Lo Forti, Chisao Hata, 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.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS
Vanport Mosaic Festival and the Portland Assembly Center Project are made possible by the Autzen Foundation, Marie Lamfrom Foundation, Oregon Historical Society, Metro, and Travel Portland.
The performance and premieres by Resonance Ensemble are made possible by the City of Portland Office of the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Cultural Trust, Metro, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and Ronni Lacroute.
Resonance Nova to include partnership, in memorium dedication
Resonance Ensemble & Orchestra Nova Northwest
Partner with Immigration Counseling Services,
Dedicate Concert to Beloved Arts Advocate
PORTLAND, OR — March 4, 2025— Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest announce two key updates for their upcoming concert, Resonance Nova, featuring over 150 musicians performing groundbreaking musical works for choir and orchestra. This powerful performance offers audiences not only stirring music but also opportunities for direct engagement and advocacy.
Patrons will be able to connect with ICS representatives and learn more about how to support their work.
The two concerts, on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16, will highlight a partnership with Immigration Counseling Services (ICS), Oregon’s oldest independent nonprofit immigration law firm, who will be on-site to share resources and provide actionable ways for audiences to support immigrants and refugees in the community. Resonance Ensemble audiences may recall ICS from their Safe Harbor concert in March of 2020, when Executive Director Frank Garcia participated in a post-concert panel discussion.
As part of this commitment to ICS, Resonance and Orchestra Nova will donate $5 from every full-price ticket sold from our Saturday, March 15 concert to support their efforts to provide legal aid to unaccompanied children and other immigrants in need. ICS will also have representatives available on-site during the Sunday, March 16 program to share more about their work, and how the community can step in at this pivotal time.
“We believe in being a force for peace, justice, and empathy,” said Gina Vorderstrasse, ICS Director of Development & Communications. “We look forward to sharing our mission through this partnership with Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest and engaging with the audience at Resonance Nova.”
Greg Hatton. Photo provided courtesy of Orchestra Nova Northwest
These Resonance Nova performances are dedicated to the memory of Greg Hatton, a local champion of the arts. Greg, the husband of Executive Director Emerita and former ONN musician Betsy Hatton, was a dynamic and enthusiastic supporter of Orchestra Nova Northwest for decades. He nurtured a deep appreciation for the many ways in which a strong and healthy community enriches lives and affirmed ONN’s role in strengthening both community and culture.
“Greg was well known for his emotional generosity,” says ONN Music Director Steven Byess. “One of his greatest joys was engaging with and listening to people from all walks of life, often embracing diverse experiences and beliefs. He was unafraid to change his perspective based on these conversations. It is because of his steadfast belief in the power of music to unite people, and his boundless generosity of spirit, that we dedicate these concerts in honor of his indomitable legacy.”
Single tickets are now on sale through Orchestra Nova Northwest and the Reser. Tickets start at $35, with discounted rates for students and Arts for All. For more information, visit resonancechoral.org and novanw.org.
Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest Present: RESONANCE NOVA
WHEN & WHERE
Saturday, March 15th | 7:30 pm | Reynolds High School (Troutdale)
Sunday, March 16th | 3:00 pm | Patricia Reser Center for the Arts (Beaverton)
COST
Single tickets on sale through Orchestra Nova Northwest and the Reser.
Tickets start at $35 with discounted tickets for students and Arts for All.
Note to Journalists: Katherine FitzGibbon, Shohei Kobayashi, Kevin Irving, Steven Byess, 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.
ARTS MADNESS IS BACK & BIGGER THAN EVER!
PLAN YOUR OWN PORTLAND ARTS CRAWL THIS MONTH!
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 nearly a dozen other local arts organizations have come together to offer discounts on shows, merch, and more throughout the month of March.
Share the love with your local arts orgs this March! (PC Karen Pride)
"This year especially, local arts organizations need local support,” shares Liz Bacon Brownson, Director of Marketing for Resonance Ensemble. “Spending with intention is powerful. Whether it’s where we shop, donate, or buy tickets, our choices 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 the opera stage and concert hall, to unique performances at intimate local venues, Arts Madness aims to encourage arts lovers from all over PDX to further explore our region’s arts scene.
“We deeply cherish each of the organizations who are participating this year, and they represent a wide array of dance, music, and theatre our city offers all year long,” 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!”
Arts Madness includes FIFTEEN EVENTS from over a dozen local favorites:
Resonance Ensemble & Orchestra Nova Northwest
Chamber Music Northwest
Portland Opera
Cappella Romana & 45th Parallel Universe
Portland Center Stage
In Medio
White Bird Dance
Portland Baroque Orchestra
In Mulieribus
Third Angle New Music
Portland Playhouse
Chatter PDX & Renegade Opera
“Chamber Music Northwest thoroughly appreciates that Resonance Ensemble puts Arts Madness together, bringing our combined arts-loving communities closer and sharing the love!” says CMNW Marketing & Communications Director, Nicole Lane.
Marketing Director (and section soprano!) for In Medio, Jen Milius, shares “In Medio is thrilled to partner with Resonance again for Arts Madness among all these incredible organizations that make up our vibrant arts community! Thank you to Kim and team for leading this uniquely collaborative opportunity.”
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:
Over 150 Musicians Unite in a Powerful Call for Peace
“The coolest collab concert of the season” features over 150 musicians—including five choirs—Uniting in a powerful call for peace showcasing works by Bonds, Shaw, and Vaughan Williams
“We invite all to join us for this weekend of performances, where this powerful music will inspire hope and collective action.”
FEB 12, 2025 - On Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16 the newly renamed Orchestra Nova Northwest joins the award-winning Resonance Ensemble for RESONANCE NOVA—hailed as “the coolest collab concert of the season” (Oregon Live).
Adding to the more than 100 musicians already taking the stage, singers from two additional choirs have joined the roster, bringing even greater power to this call for peace, resilience, and justice.
Inspired by struggles for justice and peace, the program features three groundbreaking works by acclaimed composers Margaret Bonds, Caroline Shaw, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Conducted by Steven Byess, Katherine FitzGibbon, and Shohei Kobayashi, over 150 musicians join forces from six ensembles: Resonance Ensemble, Orchestra Nova Northwest, Lewis & Clark College’s Cappella Nova, Reed College’s Collegium Musicum, and, most recently, invited singers from the Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir and the Choral Arts Ensemble of Portland.
Conductors Shohei Kobayashi, Katherine FitzGibbon, and Steven Byess during a recent site visit at the Reser.
“These three works not only call for peace in our world, but urge each of us to be a force for peace, justice, and empathy in our own communities,” shares Resonance Ensemble’s Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “We invite all to join us for this weekend of performances, where this powerful music will inspire hope and collective action.”
The first half of the program features Caroline Shaw’s haunting work To the Hands, amplifying contemporary refugee crises, and Margaret Bonds’s Credo, setting a stirring text by W.E.B. Du Bois. The program concludes with Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem (Latin for “grant us peace”)—a powerful work for chorus, orchestra, and soloists Nicole Greenidge Joseph (soprano) and Wayne Arthur (baritone).
Written as a plea for peace amid the aftermath of past wars and the looming threat of new ones, the combined forces of five choirs and full orchestra will create an unforgettable and moving musical experience.
“We believe this program holds deep significance for our region’s communities,” shares Kevin Irving. “That’s why we’ve chosen to bring this powerful performance to both sides of the Willamette, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to experience its message of unity and hope.”
Single tickets on sale through Orchestra Nova Northwest and the Reser. Tickets start at $35 with discounted tickets for students and Arts for All. For more information, visit resonancechoral.org and novanw.org.
Resonance Ensemble and Orchestra Nova Northwest Present: RESONANCE NOVA
WHEN & WHERE
Saturday, March 15th | 7:30 pm | Reynolds High School (Troutdale)
Sunday, March 16th | 3:00 pm | Patricia Reser Center for the Arts (Beaverton)
COST
Single tickets on sale through Orchestra Nova Northwest and the Reser.
Tickets start at $35 with discounted tickets for students and Arts for All.
Note to Journalists: Katherine FitzGibbon, Shohei Kobayashi, Kevin Irving, Steven Byess, 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.
Post-Concert Reflection: CHOIR GRRRL
This past weekend, Resonance Ensemble delivered a one-night-only performance that showcased the brilliance of three trailblazing artists in an interactive, boundary-pushing program celebrating the power of women in music.
Under the direction of Katherine FitzGibbon, the Resonance treble singers joined forces with Ringdown—a duo featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw and multi-instrumentalist Danni Lee—along with composer and performer Cecille Elliott, who premiered her latest commissioned work with Resonance, It’s So Quietly. The evening was a testament to bold artistry and collaboration, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended. Today, we share some of our favorite moments from this unforgettable night, accompanied by photos from Rachel Hadiashar.
Resonance treble singers enter the hall singing Judy A. Rose’s work, Ode to the Wind
The night began with Ode to the Wind by Portland-based composer Judy A. Rose. In the program notes, the composer shares her hope that we may “understand at some level, someday, that we are all affected and connected to all the earth…” Resonance vocalists entered the hall from the back, surrounding the audience in an immersive soundscape that set the tone for the evening.
Ringdown and Cecille Elliott each presented a work of their own. Ringdown’s signature blend of heavy synths, vocoders, and soaring harmonies—anchored by the duos ethereal vocals and tight harmonies—contrasted beautifully with Cecille Elliott’s evocative solo performance, where she layered her voice and guitar with a loop pedal to create a mesmerizing sonic landscape.
Cecille shares a laugh with the tech crew during our soundcheck for the show
We Need Earth by Renée Favand-See, showcased soloists Lisa Neher (mezzo), Vakare Petroliunaite (soprano), and Madeline Ross (soprano). Their voices intertwined in an ethereal and powerful call to action, using the words of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, to highlight the importance of environmental awareness through her space exploration experience.
From our performance of When the Dust Settles by Mari Esabel Valverde
A particularly poignant moment of the night was the performance of When the Dust Settles. The work has proven especially timely given the current political climate in which trans rights are under increasing threat. Despite having performed it at our last concert, the urgency of the moment made it essential to reaffirm our support for the trans community (read more about this work in our last blog post). With text by poet Amir Rabiyah and music by Mari Esabel Valverde, this powerful piece honors the resilience and joy of the trans community, inspired by the life and activism of Miss Major Griffen-Gracy. The treble voices of Resonance filled the space with soaring harmonies, bringing the words to life in a moment of unity and celebration:
“...in glorious proclamation we will let everyone know— We are still here! We are still here!”
The concert continued with the world premiere of Cecille Elliott’s It’s So Quietly, an intimate piece that featured several solos by Kathleen Hollingsworth (mezzo), Rebecca Guderian (soprano), Kristen Buhler (alto) and even featured Caroline Shaw. Paired with Shaw’s It’s So Quietly, which closed the first half, the two works together created a mesmerizing moment of stillness and reflection.
Katherine FitzGibbon introduces the next pieces from the stage as a packed house watches on.
Director Katherine FitzGibbon commands the choir
The second half of the program featured more works by Shaw and Ringdown, as well as Cecille Elliott’s Breathe. Elliott commanded the stage - and the audience - leading everyone in a stirring singalong over ever-increasing loops of accompaniment on vocals, guitar, and body percussion by Elliott.
Cecille Elliott leads the audience through her work “Breathe”
Danni Lee sparks joy during the post-concert panel with Cecille Elliott, Caroline Shaw, and Katherine FitzGibbon.
The evening’s final piece, My Turn by Ringdown, saw all performers from the evening coming together on stage - including guest composers Favand-See and Rose - in a powerful conclusion that left audiences on their feet.
The concert was more than a showcase of talent—it was a celebration of community and connectedness, uniting Portland to honor the contributions of femme composers.
WERE YOU AT THE ALADDIN WITH US? TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CHOIR GRRRL!
Fill out our survey with your name & email for your chance to win two tickets to our upcoming program: RESONANCE NOVA
UP NEXT FOR RESONANCE ENSEMBLE
Following this remarkable night, we look ahead to what’s next! Our upcoming concert, Resonance Nova!
SATURDAY, MARCH 15 | 7:30 PM | REYNOLDS H.S.
SUNDAY, MARCH 16 | 3:00 PM | PATRICIA RESER CENTER
Featuring over 100 musicians joining forces to promote peace in our world through the works of Margaret Bonds, Caroline Shaw, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
When the Dust Settles—Resonance Community Bands Together to Bring Timely & Powerful Work Back to Portland
Tickets for this event are still available
This week, Resonance Ensemble is preparing for CHOIR GRRRL—a celebration of world-class artists from our region and beyond, happening at the Aladdin Theatre on Saturday, February 8th. As we finalized preparations earlier this month, a chaotic slew of executive orders reigned down, targeting vulnerable communities across the political spectrum. As a choir that programs music to promote meaningful social change, many of these recent orders stand antithetical to the work and community we strive to foster—and directly harm many of the artists we regularly collaborate with. The Resonance team felt especially moved to show our solidarity with our trans collaborators and friends, who have been disproportionately targeted throughout history—and especially so in recent months.
Our minds immediately went to Mari Esabel Valverde's poignant and deeply moving work, When the Dust Settles - which audiences may remember from our We Dissent program in 2022.
Resonance Ensemble treble voices | Rachel Hadiashar
“your heart bigger than any cage
even in the midst of so much loss
you remind us to dream
to hold tomorrow between our lips
we deserve to kiss without fear
to grow old
to sway our hips
to wear what we wish
to relish in the pleasure of our bodies
the seeds you planted continue to grow
into blooming song”
ABOUT “WHEN THE DUST SETTLES”
The work is a powerful assertion of trans identity and joy. Queer, trans, mixed race, disabled, poet and educator Amir Rabiyah wrote the text especially for this collaboration with Mari, in honor of Miss Major Griffen-Gracy—a former grass roots organizer and lifelong transgender and intersex rights activist from coast to coast, as well as a “veteran” of the Stonewall Riots.
Mari’s lush setting of the text also embodies both Miss Major’s strong & powerful resilience, along with her warmth and tenderheartedness. The composer shares in her program note: Hearing her speak today, you would not perceive within her voice the years of surviving our historically transphobic, racist, and often violent systems of oppression. And, her fight to liberate her trans and queer descendants continues. At age 78, she has opened the House of GG, the Griffin-Gracy Educational Retreat and Historical Center for the transgender and gender non-conforming Community, in Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information please visit: https://HouseOfGG.org…#WeAreStillHere #StaySoft.
The gorgeous harmonies of the treble voices and thick piano lines build to a transcendent peak, before unifying the voices together for the work’s final decree:
“when the dust settles, we will raise our voices
just as you have always done, in glorious proclamation
we will let everyone know—
We are still here!
We are still here!”
With this powerful work in hand, we knew that now more than ever we wanted to share this message with our audiences.
However, we had a barrier: our current program did not use piano, and this work absolutely needed one to work. How could we raise the funds in time for this program, especially in a time when so much financial support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives were being stripped away—particularly those dealing with trans lives?
We reached out to our community of season subscribers last week, sharing our situation and our deep desire to bring this powerful piece back to Portland at such a pivotal time. The response was beyond heartwarming.
Not only did we raise enough to cover the expense of the piece, but the words of support we received reminded us of the kind of community we’re part of: compassionate, generous, and radically loving.
Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon with Pride NW director Debra Porta from our BODIES program in 2018 | Kenton Waltz
We would like to thank the donors from our community who made this piece possible for our program this week:
Laurie Flint
Jerry Fong
Allison Ellsworth
Nancy Ives
Shohei Kobayashi
DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WITNESS THIS POWERFUL WORK—ALONG WITH A WHOLE PROGRAM OF WORLD-CLASS FEMME CREATORS FROM OUR REGION & BEYOND!
CHOIR GRRRL
Saturday, February 8th | 7:30pm | Aladdin Theatre
Featuring: Caroline Shaw, Ringdown (Caroline Shaw & Danni Lee Parpan), Cecille Elliott, Hannah Brewer, and the treble voices of Resonance Ensemble led by Katherine FitzGibbon.
Choir GRRRL:Why You Should Join Us.
What makes Choir GRRRL a must-see?
Let’s break it down.
REASON #1: Ringdown
This “electronic cinematic pop duo” pairs Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw with the “dynamite” multi-instrumentalist Danni Lee in a collaboration that defies genres. Described by Oregon ArtsWatch as “a definite peanut butter and chocolate situation,” their music blends soaring vocals, cutting-edge synths, and inventive arrangements. For this performance, they’re debuting newly expanded arrangements with our treble voices, offering a first-ever opportunity to hear their work reimagined with choral textures. Ringdown is at the forefront of innovation—we are all fortunate they call Portland home!
REASON #2: Cecille Elliott
Fresh off her world tour with Lyyra, (an elite six-voice women’s ensemble with the VOCES8 Foundation), singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Cecille Elliott joins Resonance to unveil the world premiere of her new work, It's So Quiet, along with a solo set of original compositions. Portland audiences may best remember her from her Resonance-commissioned piece, We Are Murmurs, the standout work for quintet voices that premiered in 2023 and received multiple revival performances throughout the season.
REASON #3: The bad-ass treble voices of Resonance, conducted by Katherine FitzGibbon
Our Choir GRRRLs have earned glowing reviews for their “masterful blend” and breathtaking unisons (Oregon ArtsWatch) and will provide a powerful foundation for the evening with Ringdown and Elliott, as well as performing spotlighted new works by two more Portland composers Judy A. Rose and Renee Favand-See.
But really, it all boils down to ONE reason
For ONE NIGHT ONLY, some of the most amazing women artists in town are gathering their voices for a night of community music-making at one of the most historic and beautiful spaces in town. Don't miss it. Reserve your seat today.
“We want this event to feel like a one-of-a-kind jam session that fuses pop, electronic, and choral music, like you’re in a living room with Caroline Shaw, Danni Lee, Cecille Elliott, and the Resonance treble singers – all incredible multi-faceted artists.” —Katherine FitzGibbon, Conductor, Artistic Director
Resonance Presents: Choir GRRRL
A BOLD COLLABORATION WITH CAROLINE SHAW, DANNI LEE, & CECILLE ELLIOTT
An unforgettable evening of groundbreaking music, powerful voices, and dynamic collaboration at the Aladdin Theatre.
“I’ve been in awe of Resonance’s musical gifts for a long time, and I have so much respect for what they bring to the community. When they suggested making something together along with Cecille Elliott, we were so excited to get to be a part of it. It’s a real honor, and we can’t wait to share the music with everyone at the Aladdin. ”
JANUARY 7, 2025 - PORTLAND, OR - On Saturday, February 8th, Resonance Ensemble presents Choir Grrrl at the historic Aladdin Theatre. This one-night-only performance brings together Resonance’s treble singers and three trailblazing artists for an interactive, boundary-pushing program that celebrates the power of women in music. Resonance is joined by Ringdown–a duo comprising Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw and multi-instrumentalist Danni Lee—and composer/performer Cecille Elliott who will premiere her latest commissioned work with Resonance.
Danni Lee. Photo by Karen Pride
“We named the program Choir Grrrl in honor of the Riot Grrrl movement, the feminist punk movement of the early 90s, because we envision that our program will also use genre-pushing music with these phenomenal artists to embody female empowerment,” shares Resonance Ensemble Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon. “We want this event to feel like a one-of-a-kind jam session that fuses pop, electronic, and choral music, like you’re in a living room with Caroline Shaw, Danni Lee, Cecille Elliott, and the Resonance treble singers – all incredible multi-faceted artists.”
The treble voices of Resonance have earned high praise, with Oregon ArtsWatch noting their “masterful blend” and breathtaking unisons, and will create a powerful foundation for the evening’s music. They’ll perform both backing vocals and spotlighted new works by the featured artists on the program, as well as Portland composers Judy A. Rose and Renee Favand-See and internationally-acclaimed composer Gabriela Lena Frank.
Caroline Shaw. Photo by Dayna Szyndrowski
Ringdown, an “electronic cinematic pop duo” featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw and the “dynamite” multi-instrumentalist Danni Lee, will perform their works alongside newly expanded arrangements. Lee was recently described by Oregon ArtsWatch as “a perfect complement to Shaw” and they are “a definite ‘peanut butter and chocolate’ situation.” Together, they bring a recently Grammy-nominated blend of artistry, innovation, and collaboration to the stage, creating an unforgettable musical experience that invites the audience into new sonic landscapes.
“I've been in awe of Resonance's musical gifts for a long time, and I have so much respect for what they bring to the community. When they suggested making something together along with Cecille Elliott, we were so excited to get to be a part of it. It's a real honor, and we can't wait to share the music with everyone at the Aladdin. .”
Cecille Elliott plays at a recent Resonance concert . Photo by Rachel Hadiashar
Elliott, whose We Are Murmurs captivated audiences at its 2023 Resonance premiere, will debut her latest creation, It’s So Quiet, as both vocalist and composer. A versatile musician specializing in voice, violin, and viola, Cecille has performed with Resonance since 2020. She will be joining the concert directly from a world tour with Lyyra, an elite 6-voice women’s ensemble with the VOCES8 Foundation , where she serves as low alto. Her recent debut with Lyyra has cemented her reputation as one of today’s most exciting and dynamic vocal talents.
“This incredible night of collaboration features everyone playing everyone’s music together–including a chance for audience members to join in the music-making themselves,” says FitzGibbon. “We are looking forward to creating something truly special for - and with - our community.”
This one-night only event will take place Saturday, February 8th at the Aladdin Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Tickets are on sale now here.
Ringdown: Danni Lee (l) + Caroline Shaw (r) Photo by Anja Schutz
TICKET & SHOW INFORMATION
CHOIR GRRRL
Saturday, February 8th | 7:30 pm
@Aladdin Theater
TICKET PRICING
General Admission: $40
Seniors / Students / Veterans: $20
Arts for All: $5 (at the door)
Note to Journalists: Katherine FitzGibbon, Ringdown, Cecille Elliott, 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
Concert Reflection: The Blacknificent 7
This past weekend, Resonance Ensemble shared a program of choral music by seven leading composers. The works, curated by Blacknificent 7 composer and long-time Resonance friend, Damien Geter, included the world premiere of a new work by Dave Ragland, and a rare opportunity to hear the choral music of this extraordinary collective in a single program. Today, we share some of our favorite moments from the program.
The choir began unconducted, performing Jasmine Barnes’ THE FALL
Opening the program, two works by Jasmine Barnes. While the first work, The Fall, features quick changes in mood, tempo, and a plethora of solo moments, Resonance performed the work unconducted—featuring soloists Madeline Ross, Cecille Elliott, and Shohei Kobayashi throughout the piece.
In Sometimes I Cry, Barnes shares a far more reflective tone, demanding ensemble precision and balance throughout as it builds to a large, climactic chord.
Audiences were moved to tears by the quietly powerful Affirmations by Carlos Simon, who hoped the work would encourage listeners to “speak well of themselves and to believe the best about who they are.” With powerful ensemble moments and lush harmonies, one highlight of this work included spoken moments by beloved composer and Resonance Ensemble performer, Judy A. Rose.
Judy A. Rose reading during AFFIRMATIONS by Carlos Simon
Nancy Ives and Nicole Greenidge Joseph performing LOISAIDA, MY LOVE by Jessie Montgomery
Katherne FitzGibbon leads the choir and cellist Nancy Ives during MEDITATION by Joel Thompson
Next, Resonance welcomed Oregon Symphony principal cellist Nancy Ives, and guest soprano soloist, Nicole Greenidge Joseph to the stage for a rendition of Jessie Montgomery’s Loisaida, My Love that brought the house down. With Joseph moving effortlessly between English and Spanish of the Bimbo Ravas text, and Ives artfully playing with the instrumental responses, listeners particularly enjoyed the wonderfully-connected interactions between the two performers.
Joel Thompson’s short work, Meditation, included another performance by Nancy Ives on cello, this time underneath the full force of the choral ensemble. The text, by Jacqueline Woodson, is short but packs a punch - particularly in the hands of such a master composer as Joel Thompson: Even the silence has a story to tell you. Just listen. Listen.
Dave Ragland introduces his new work, SEVEN PRAYERS: HOPE FOR EVERYONE
Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the program was the world premiere of a newly-commissioned work by B7 composer, Dave Ragland: Seven Prayers: Hope for Everyone. Setting reflections by “diverse individuals from across the United States,” the piece shares seven prayers of hope from thinkers from age 11 to “80-something.” Our audiences in Portland were especially pleased to see, in movement 5, words by our very own Joe Cantrell: We are the land, and we are water, and they are us. For we have come from land and water, and to them, we shall return.
Dave Ragland accepts a thunderous applause and standing ovation after his work
After intermission, the Resonance Ensemble treble voices took the stage with pianist Claire Forstman for a deeply-moving setting of Deep River by Shawn E. Okpebholo. Forstman wonderfully followed the intricate dynamic-shaping of the choir, led by conductor Shohei Kobayashi.
Claire Forstman performs alongside the Resonance treble voices, led by conductor Shohei Kobayashi
Again featuring our treble voices, Danse Africaine is a demanding work by Jessie Montgomery that proved to be an audience favorite. Setting a work by Langston Hughes, Montgomery masterfully text-paints the “low slow beating of the tom-toms” throughout the work as vocalists bounce and echo hocketing patterns of nonsense syllables under the text. Featuring soloist Maria Collinsworth, the work is at once energetic and mysterious, building to a short climactic gliss by the ensemble before settling back into a groove. The final push, starting at a much slower tempo than the rest of the piece and building into an increasingly faster frenzy, ended with a final gliss by the ensemble that elicited both cheers and laughter from the audience.
Nicole Greenidge Joseph hits a big note as Katherine FitzGibbon leads Resonance and cellist Nancy Ives during Damien Geter’s CANTATA FOR A MORE HOPEFUL TOMORROW.
Closing out the performance was the Oregon premiere of Damien Geter’s Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow, featuring Nicole Greenidge Joseph and Nancy Ives, as well as soloists Vakare Petroliunaite, Sarah Beaty, Shohei Kobayashi, and Kevin Walsh. Inspired by traditional African American spirituals and J.S. Bach’s Cantata, this five-movement work explores both despair and hope through its setting of traditional spiritual texts and texts by landmark writers like Walt Whitman, as well as by living writers like A. Mimi Sei. With the full force of Resonance Ensemble, the impeccable performances of the soloists, and the expert leading by Katherine FitzGibbon, the final note of the piece was received with an erupting of applause, cheers, and a standing ovation.
Katherine FitzGibbon, Dave Ragland, and Shohei Kobayashi during the post-concert panel
After the program, guest composer Dave Ragland and conductors Katherine FitzGibbon and Shohei Kobayashi spoke with audience members as part of a post-concert panel, discussing the commission, what the piece meant to Ragland now, as well as how one can keep hope alive in times of despair.
We are so grateful to the nearly 300 audience members who came to hear the performance at the Alberta Rose Theatre, sharing this special program of choral music with Resonance Ensemble. We will be sharing video recordings from the program in the coming months, so check back soon for more!
UP NEXT FOR RESONANCE | CHOIR GRRRL
WHAT | Resonance Ensemble treble voices are joined by Pulitzer-Prize winning composer and musician, Caroline Shaw + performances by Ringdown (Shaw/Danni Lee)—including new arrangements of their songs to include choir—and featuring a world premiere plus other original compositions by Cecille Elliott
WHEN | Saturday, February 8th, 2025 @7:30pm
WHERE | Aladdin Theatre
