Artist Spotlight: Meet Madeline Ross!

As we count down the days until our cabaret-inspired fundraiser, Dirty, Stupid Music, we turn the spotlight toward the artists featured on the show. This week we chat with soprano Madeline Ross.

What are some of your first memories of performing music?

photo by Tom Lupton

When I was little, around 4 or 5, my dad was away on a business trip and my mom and my baby sister and I decided to make him a home video of Snow White where we played all the parts. I remember bringing in a flower box from the back yard to make the set and singing my heart out! 

What do you love about singing?

Music has an amazing way of cutting right to the emotion of a situation. I love being able to tell a story with not only the text I’m singing, but also the melody and harmony in which the text is set. I particularly love embodying a character in my performance and allowing the goal not to be “musical and vocal perfection,” but simply effective storytelling. I get to say,  “How can I use this music and these words to get across the desires and emotions of this character? Can I sing this with more abandon? Can I add some whimsy? How can I get the audience to buy in?” Those are the questions that I love to explore in my performances. 

What impact has music had on your life–not just professionally, but personally?

“Music can be a powerful tool for community building, and Resonance Ensemble is absolutely harnessing that power for good.”

Photo by Rachel Tine

Music has always been a place where I felt I could express myself and challenge myself. It is so gratifying to see your hard work pay off; from researching a piece, to hours in the practice room exploring the singing of it, to performing it for an audience, the process of creating a performance has taught me a lot about the value of hard work, perseverance, flexibility, and bravery. Being a student of music has made me a better student of life and has given me the tools to do hard things and trust the process! Music also creates community, especially when you’re making music with an ensemble. The bonds you create making music with friends last a lifetime, and I am lucky to say I have many wonderful musical friends all over the globe that I wouldn’t have found if it wasn’t for our music-making!

Who has been your biggest musical influence?

Photo provided by Maddy Ross

I’m not sure I have one that I could pinpoint. I loved 1990s/2000s movie musicals growing up and Angela Lansbury, Julie Andrews, and the voices of Anastasia, Belle, and Ariel (Liz Callaway, Paige O’Hara, and Jodi Benson) were huge influences. I remember watching the VHS of Anastasia and rewinding again and again to try and sing the final long note at the end of Anastasia’s big song. I think that may have been the first time I “practiced” a phrase of music. Later in my education as a singer I joined a vocal jazz ensemble and fell in love with the music of Esperanza Spalding. When I was first learning to sing operatically I listened to Diana Damrau (Queen of the Night) and Beverly Sills (Ballad of Baby Doe) among many other wonderful singers. I’ve had many influential teachers over the years in choirs, private lessons, and theatrical productions and their emphasis on community building and storytelling sticks with me to this day.

Maddy and Cecille in rehearsal for An African American Requiem 2022 — Photo By Rachel Hadiashar

If you could collaborate with any artist or ensemble, who would you pick?

This is a hard one! I so enjoyed working with the Oregon Symphony on African American Requiem singing in the ensemble. It would be fabulous to get the chance to perform with them again in an ensemble or as a soloist.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to Portland?

I was born in Portland. I grew up in SE Portland, attended Portland Public Schools, and got my undergraduate degree in music at Willamette University in Salem, OR. I moved to Boston, MA for my masters degree, but I knew I wanted to make my musical career in Portland, so here I am!

What do you love about being a performer in Portland?

I feel uniquely lucky to have such a rooted community of longtime friends, colleagues, and music lovers here in Portland that is growing and changing as new creators come to town and others leave on adventures. I’ve been able to do so many varied things as a performer in Portland, I’ve also created a new non-profit music organization here in town, Renegade Opera. Our mission is to create immersive and interactive operas that serve the community and expand our idea of what “opera” is and can be. I love being able to perform larger operatic works as a chorus member with Portland Opera, choral works with Resonance Ensemble, and create new avant garde works with Renegade Opera, as well as solo work in the area. It’s a big exciting puzzle of communities and musical challenges.

Maddy (second from the left) performing with Portland Opera at the Keller Auditorium. May 2022 (photo provided by Maddy Ross)

What groups do you perform with currently? (And if you have anything nice you want to say about them!)

Portland Opera (they are doing amazing work to present not only the opera classics, but also new works). This spring I am making my role debut with Portland Opera as First Woodsprite in Dvorak’s Rusalka!

Renegade Opera (we are premiering a new work this season and devising an outdoorsy bird watching recital featuring the best known opera arias). 

Photo by Tom Lupton

I also sing with In the Pocket, a small vocal ensemble that really got going during the lockdown. During that time we were putting out a weekly acapella video filmed in our homes and edited together. (click here to watch In the Pocket)

I have been fortunate to perform with many other ensembles and companies, but those are the ones I’m working with currently - and Resonance of course!

What does your typical week look like as an active performer?

I have a few puzzle pieces that make up my week. I am an administrator for Historic Alberta House in NE Portland, I work with my team at Renegade Opera, I have rehearsals for whatever performance is next, I teach piano and voice lessons, and I practice my own individual repertoire for auditions and competitions.

Do you have interests outside of music?

I love to go on hikes, play board games, ride bikes, and drink tea. 

How did you become involved with Resonance Ensemble?

I had heard about Resonance Ensemble and had performed at other events with folks who had sung for Resonance. I met Damian Geter when we performed in The Little Prince with Opera Theater Oregon in 2018 and auditioned for African American Requiem just before the pandemic hit. After that I did one of the Under the Overpass videos and have continued to sing with the group whenever I can!

What experience with RE has resonated with you the most in the last year or so?

Resonance Ensemble’s focus on community is something that really resonates for me. Music can be a powerful tool for community building and collaboration, and Resonance Ensemble is absolutely harnessing that power for good. 

Can you tell me a little bit about what you’re preparing for Dirty, Stupid?

I’ve decided to perform this wonderful art song called “Je t’aime” by Isabelle Aboulker that is absolutely ridiculous. It has lots of fast high notes (something I love to do as a coloratura soprano) and lots of character. I think it fits perfectly in the category of ‘stupid’ music, because it’s incredibly difficult to execute and on the surface has a very manic and silly energy, but I’ve been having a blast exploring the dramatic possibilities and I hope the audience will enjoy it! It’s a little different than everything else on the program! 

Single tickets for Dirty, Stupid Music—showing twice on January 15th at Curious Comedy—are on sale now. CLICK HERE to visit the event page for more information, or CLICK HERE to learn about the rest of our season.

Artist Spotlight: Meet Erik Hundtoft

As we count down the days until our cabaret-inspired fundraiser, Dirty, Stupid Music, we turn the spotlight toward some of the artists featured on the show. This week we chatted with baritone vocalist Erik Hundtoft.

Unless otherwise credited, all photos in this post were captured by Kenton Waltz Photography

Can you tell me a little bit about how you got started in music?

There was never much thought about “what do I want to do? What do I like to do?” because I was always doing music and theatre. 

I got attention for it early—we [singers] are loud people. I sang in a lot of special choirs and performed in drama productions. When I was in high school I was offered a scholarship to study music, and again in college to keep studying. I sort of followed it because it was the thing that was getting me attention—though I definitely put more effort into it than anything else, too.

What do you find compelling about singing?

Still from David Lynch’s surreal drama series, “Twin Peaks”

I look deeply into things. I like a lot of what David Lynch does; the way he looks deep into stories. I like thinking about problems, asking how we can find empathy for people we disagree with. In the same way David Lynch’s movies are often these mythological stories—stories that mean something beyond the surface-level actions we see taking place—when you’re performing those same kinds of puzzles are present. The puzzles of using poetry, using abstract language. When you are using these kinds of nonstandard means of communicating, you’re allowed to talk about complex topics and look deeper into something you might otherwise avoid.

I like that problem. I like that problem of “what's actually going on here?” and to present it honestly–even though you might not necessarily agree with what it is that your character is saying.

So, as an artist who is interpreting these works, do you often start with the lyrics or with the music first when you’re learning a piece?

The lyrics are fundamental to what it is that we do. I think the real magic is how composers make sense of those lyrics in their setting of their text—and how we as artists, as singers, can interpret that to take it further. I don’t believe that there’s a hierarchy here or that one is necessarily more important than the other, but it does usually start with the poet or lyricist.

It can be a very compelling challenge—how do we decide which word of a lyric deserves the emphasis? It’s not so much how can I say this in a dramatic way, but rather how can I find the meaning that's present within here? So it's not something that you can just look at that particular line and know the answer, you have to look at the whole of the work to understand the context in which that moment occurs and then you under then you then you know how to present it.

“I remember at the last Dirty, Stupid Music I sang a piece that had this wonderful rising screaming line—a great example of these elements all working together.

The last Dirty, Stupid was a really beautiful program.”

What does your day-to-day practice looks like? What is your process for getting into a piece? 

Everyone has their own approach, but for me I don’t do a lot of research independent of what’s on the page—the music itself is often what tells you what the composer thinks is important. I'm very ear focused—I spend a lot of time with recordings and comparing it to what’s on the page before I start really working on my own decisions about how to best capture the piece.

There’s a lot of beautiful things in a piece of music that are really only seen when you're looking at it deeply—not just note-to-note, but in the macro sense as well. The bigger picture can really inform the individual moments within it.

Are there directors you’ve worked with who master balancing that larger picture with those smaller details?

Nick Fox at Portland Opera is excellent, and really demands a lot from his performers.

Katherine FitzGibbon, here at Resonance, is very intentional in making sure that the whole room is feeling okay about where they are with the music and what they're doing as artists. She has a way of really demanding a lot of people, too. In fact, I think she often demands more of their choir than they're actually able to accomplish—she really pushes, in a good way, the boundaries of what the singers think they’re capable of musically.

I’ve done a couple of gigs with Shohei Kobayashi, and I see him having really some tremendous talent as well. I think he's budding into a great conductor.

They all excel in different ways, but they are all excellent in what they do.

What groups do you perform with currently?

This last year I started getting more deeply involved with Cappella Romana, and I’m a regular at St Mary's Cathedral and Oregon Catholic Press recording sessions. Jecca Jazz is a new jazz group I'm involved in run by Jessica Israels and her father Chuck—that also includes Dirty, Stupid cast members Brandon and Shohei—we're just getting started but making great music! I have also really loved my time with Portland Opera, and Resonance of course.

I’m thankful to still be working this much—there's definitely young, very talented singers coming up in the area, so local ensembles don't necessarily need to keep hiring the old dogs. But, contrary to what people might think of older singers, physiologically I feel as though this next decade is really where my voice has been building up to be—it’s at the best it’s been in so many ways.

How did you first get connected with Resonance? What keeps you coming back?

My first gig with Resonance was their performance of The Wedding by Stravinsky back in 2010. Kathy needed a baritone and she saw me singing Carmina Burana with the Oregon county fair—and that was enough for her to decide to have me on.

“And I’ve just been so grateful for Resonance and the opportunities that I’ve gotten with them.”

One of the things I love is the name “Resonance,” because I really think it captures a few very important things about what we do as singers. When music is most meaningful, at its most powerful, is when it gets an idea to resonate within a human being. Your form is literally vibrating, and—while I don’t know that we can define exactly where that energy goes and how it transfers, we do benefit from it tremendously. This is a way to change people—-I believe very strongly that music is anti-capitalistic inherently—and I think the effect of having a message come to us and change who we are gives us an opportunity to reflect—where are we now, who are we, what matters to us? Now the listener, or even the performer, is stuck with having to reconcile this new information with what they thought before. It gives you an opportunity to become something else, to grow.

Single tickets for Dirty, Stupid Music—showing twice on January 15th at Curious Comedy—are on sale now. CLICK HERE to visit the event page for more information, or CLICK HERE to learn about the rest of our season.

An African American Requiem is "Best of Classical Music in 2022"

“My favorite musical experiences this year were a mix of grand spectacles and small pleasures, beloved old favorites and arresting new works.”

— Michael Andor Brodeur, Classical Music Critic, Washington Post

Resonance is grateful for the opportunity to share Damien Geter’s important, beautiful music with a world that needs it more than ever.

The Washington Post has deemed Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem as one of their top examples of classical music featured in 2022.

Commissioned by Portland’s Resonance Ensemble, this pivotal work memorializes the lives of Black Americans lost to racial violence in a first-of-its-kind requiem. A collaboration between Damien Geter, Resonance Ensemble, the Oregon Symphony (conductor Bill Eddins), and All Classical Portland, the world premiere was performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR, on Saturday, May 7, 2022 to a sold-out house. The live broadcast by All Classical Portland was then made available at 89.9 FM in Portland, 105.9 FM in New York, and streaming worldwide at allclassical.org.

It went on to have its East Coast premiere later that same month at the Kennedy Center. Resonance Ensemble traveled to Washington D.C. to perform with Choral Arts Society of Washington (conductor Scott Tucker) and NEWorks Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir for the East Coast premiere of An African American Requiem.

The success of this project was all was made possible because of generous support including The Oregon Community Foundation Creative Heights Initiative. Without this vital funding, this project would not have been possible.

Says Geter, “I am grateful to all of the artists and performing ensembles involved—from Oregon Symphony and All Classical, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington and NEWorks Philharmonic to my friends and soloists Brandie Sutton, Karmesha Peake, Bernard Holcomb, Kenneth Overton, Norman Shankle, and Jacqueline Echols, and S. Renee Mitchell.

“I want to especially thank Resonance Ensemble, who made both the commissioning of the piece and the coordination of both premieres possible. Artistic Director Katherine FitGibbon was instrumental in making sure this piece was heard.”

To read the full article, click here.

Artist Spotlight: Meet David Saffert

As we count down the days until our cabaret-inspired fundraiser, Dirty, Stupid Music, we turn the spotlight toward some of the artists featured on the show. This week we chatted with collaborative pianist and professional Liberace impersonator, David Saffert, who has performed with Resonance Ensemble for nearly a decade.

R. Hadiashar

“I feel really happy to be doing “Dirty, Stupid Music” again. I was there since the beginning, so I love that I get to be part of this next installment—I feel like I’m part of a big, Dirty, Stupid family!”

What are some of your first memories of performing music?

Theme from Hill Street Blues

When I was in sixth grade we moved towns from Niellsville, Wisconsin to Spooner. When I got to Spooner, the kids found out I could play piano and said “Oh! Play something!” I had never played publicly before—so I began playing the theme to the TV show Hill Street Blues. It was at the time when a lot of TV themes had piano —like Cheers, St. Elsewhere—and Hill Street had this well known piano part. When I finished, they applauded, and I had never gotten applauded before!

“There is music for everything. Something is always there to carry you through the hard times.”

R. Hadiashar

What impact has music had on your life—not just professionally, but personally?

When I go through the day, I always have some sort of music playing in my brain—it’s just always there. If I’m in a certain mood, or something bad has happened, I will put on Shostakovich or some moody, dark stuff. When I’m having an awesome day, I might put on Freddie Mercury or Rufus Wainwright. I really appreciate the way music reflects how I’m feeling and I don’t have to push it away. I allow music to feed how I'm feeling.

What do you love about piano?

Piano music is a part of my upbringing. When I was really young, my grandparents had a really tiny spinet piano. For some people, pianos were just furniture, it was just normal for people to have them.

When my family would get together for the holidays, my parents would play tunes from things that were popular at the time. I had a pretty good ear, and I can remember my dad would play Simon and Garfunkel and the next day I would try to play it.

Once I got into high school, I was already pretty good at music theory and ear training. Then I got the opportunity to learn some Gershwin. I learned it note-for-note, but I also started riffing and playing around with it. I played around with it so much that I had my own relationship with it—almost more like a lead sheet or guide rather than a set piece of music.

I have to learn a lot of Liberace music for my Liberace and Liza shows. Liberace never wrote anything down—so I learn all of his music from videos. He does use quite a bit of Gershwin’s music, but he changes things—so I spent a lot of time learning how he does that, and his mashups are now one of my favorite things to play.

How did you come to be in Portland and why Liberace?

I had been living in the Midwest for 30 years and I needed a change. I was doing a lot of freelancing in Minneapolis—a lot of musical theatre and ballet and I was getting burned out. I had a friend who lived in Portland, and he encouraged me to move here. It seems crazy to think about now, but I just decided to move here sight-unseen; no job set up and no real plan.

I didn’t know what role piano was going to have when I moved, so I spent a few months working as a barista. After awhile, I started to feel a pull toward piano again, so I contacted Oregon Ballet Theater since I had so much ballet accompanying experience, and they took me on right away.

David Saffert and Jillian Snow Harris as Liberace and Liza (photo provided by Liberace and Liza)

It was around then that I began doing my own variety shows at Curious Comedy. Those were really fun shows that changed every year— half-theatre, half-music. I realize now that in Minneapolis I was mostly doing music only, and that’s why I got burned out. I needed both to be happy.

Around that time, I reached out to Jillian Snow Harris, who is an incredible singer and actor who does spot-on impersonations of iconic singers, including Liza Minnelli. I invited her to do one of these shows with me. I thought it would be fun to think up someone famous who I could perform as with her. One of my friends suggested Liberace. So I started watching his videos and was immediately amazed by his outfits and his music. I didn’t realize how funny he was, how thoroughly entertaining his shows were. I learned a few things for Jillian’s set (riffing on them like Liberace) and the audience loved it. In fact, Liberace’s music director actually lives in town, and he came and saw the show—he worked with Liberace for like 13 years—and he told us we should keep doing it.

Who would be your dream collaborator?

Having worked with Jillian, she is such a perfect stage partner—I just couldn’t ask for anything more. We understand each other so completely, and have built something really special.

If there is one person that I idolize more than anyone, however—and even just meeting this person would make me faint—is Stevie Wonder. I have, ever since I was a kid, been obsessed with Stevie Wonder's music. I probably listen to his music more than anyone else.

I feel like he and Liberace actually have some interesting parallels to one another, too. The flashy outfits—Stevie wore some great stuff, oh my God—and I feel like both of them just exude joy, or maybe even something larger than that.

“There’s some good political stuff in Stevie Wonder’s music. You could sing a lot of his music at Dirty, Stupid and it would absolutely fit.”

Adam Eccleston (right) and Resonance Ensemble Co-Artistic Advisor Damien Geter (left).

What other artists in Portland do you admire?

I adore Adam Eccleston. He is a brilliant flutist who works with the Bravo program and focuses on creating equal access opportunities for kids. Adam is one of my favorite people. 

I just had the opportunity to work with Kimo Camat. He voiced the plant in Stumptown Stages production of Little Shop of Horrors. He was singing and I thought, “WOW! This guy can sing! Like, how have I not seen you?” (See Kimo on December 18 at Cabaret White’s holiday show - click here for more deets)

Tyler Buswell, my husband. His drag persona is “Donatella Nobody.” He's one of the few drag queens in town that will sing. I honestly believe he is one of the best drag queens in Portland.

Finally, I think Erik Hundtoft is someone people should keep their eye on. He's singing on Dirty Stupid Music - and he is so talented. I think his dad is some kind of philosopher, so Erik is always thinking so deeply. He is fascinating. He has these very wry, witty thoughts and just kind of gets this smile—it’s so entertaining to watch.

David as Liberace on stage at Curious Comedy with performer Erik Hundtoft at Dirty, Stupid Music Vol. 2.

Do you have a favorite venue in Portland?

To be honest, I think Curious Comedy is one of the nicest venues in town (it’s funny, my now-husband actually built that stage right before the last Dirty, Stupid Music in 2017)! A lot of the clubs I love to play when I’m touring like the Feinstein clubs in San Francisco and 54 Below in New York—these 100-something seat places that have food and drinks and everyone gets a great view of the stage—and right now, Curious is the closest thing Portland has to that kind of venue. There just isn’t anything else like that here.

How did you get connected with Resonance?

The Dirty, Stupid Music Vol. 1 cast. Photo provided by Resonance Ensemble (2013)

I think the first thing I ever did was the first Dirty, Stupid Music in 2013. They had me as myself for the first half and I came out as Liberace for the second half.

So much of Resonance’s repertoire is very classical, but the Dirty, Stupid shows can be anything—it could be an American standard, a Kurt Weill, a classical piece, some rock and roll or blues. It’s a really fun program every time. I loved Kathy (Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon) singing Poulenc’s Hotel at the show.

The Dirty, Stupid Music Vol. 2 cast. Photo provided by Resonance Ensemble (2013)

I especially remember the second Dirty, Stupid at Curious because it was right after Trump had been elected—the political atmosphere was so intense—and the whole second half of the program paired songs with politicians they represented. I don’t think we’re doing anything quite so political this year, but that is cabaret – singing about the times!

I performed as Liberace for that show, and Marilyn Crilley was in the audience. I always choose someone from the audience to be “Mom,” (Liberace’s mom was always in the audience) and I picked her as Mom for that show. Of course, she has since passed away, and it was a great honor this summer to play for her Celebration of Life. I will always remember that show.

After doing the Dirty, Stupid Music series, I started playing a lot more for Resonance gigs. There have been a lot of really good, really powerful concerts. I remember especially the Under the Overpass video series, which was during the height of the pandemic. We filmed outside in these really cool locations—an awesome experience.

It’s been a privilege to perform with Resonance and I am very much looking forward to Dirty, Stupid Music on January 15, coming full circle back to the Curious Comedy Theater, where things really started for me here in Portland.

Single tickets for Dirty, Stupid Music—showing twice on January 15th at Curious Comedy—are on sale now. CLICK HERE to visit the event page for more information, or CLICK HERE to learn about the rest of our season.

RESONANCE ENSEMBLE ANNOUNCES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

New members will help Resonance strengthen ties in the community and enhance the board’s focus on partnering with local working artists.

PORTLAND, OR — Resonance Ensemble today announced that Nancy Ives, Stacey Philipps, and Sydney Guillaume have joined the Resonance Board of Directors.

“We are excited to expand our board with three new members who are pillars in Portland’s artistic community.” says Resonance Ensemble artistic director Katherine FitzGibbon. “Resonance has worked diligently to ensure that our leadership represents a variety of experiences, all with a commitment to championing underrepresented voices and artistic excellence, and the newest board members are no exception.”

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

“I have loved Resonance Ensemble’s work for years and am so thrilled to be joining their board,” says composer and Oregon Symphony principal cellist, Nancy Ives. One of Portland’s most beloved and active musicians, Ives has “built a career of such spectacular diversity that no summation will do her achievements justice.” (Artslandia) An icon within Portland's music community, Ives enjoys an illustrious performance career that informs her eloquent and enduring compositional style. “Modernistic but melodic and compelling… [with] a refreshing musical breadth, a diverse but integrated approach,” Ives’ music communicates “a uniquely personal voice.” (Oregon ArtsWatch) By way of an adventurous and multifaceted career - which includes more than 20 years as Principal Cellist of the Oregon Symphony, collaborations with virtually all of the region’s premier performance organizations, and a history of service within the cultural community - Ives is a gracious and essential cornerstone of musical life in the Pacific Northwest, “a local treasure,” according to the Portland Mercury. You can read more about Nancy Ives on her website.

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

Also joining the board is composer Sydney Guillaume. Known primarily for his choral compositions, Guillaume’s music is known to be intricate, challenging and highly spirited. Many of his choral works, most with original poetry by his father Gabriel T. Guillaume, have fostered an awareness of the Haitian culture and continue to serve as an ambassador for his native country. In 2016, he was inducted into the 1804 List of Haitian-American Change Makers, a prestigious list named in honor of Haiti’s year of independence that “recognizes Haitian-Americans in the United States who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and success in their profession and proven themselves to be forces for change in their communities.” Guillaume also writes film music, having written original film and documentary scores for the Los Angeles based company Loyola Productions. His recent activities as conductor also include the 2022 Georgia All-State Senior Treble Choir, and an all-Guillaume concert at New York City’s Lincoln Center. You can read more about Sydney Guillaume on his website.

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

“I’ve been an eager audience member of Resonance Ensemble since their first concert and am delighted to help support the work and music of this excellent organization,” says composer Stacey Philipps. “After watching their October concert, We Dissent, I just had to join.” Having just released a book of musical rounds featuring poetry and prose by women (“Gathering Rounds”), Philipps writes music to share the thrill of creation, collaboration, and performance influenced by modal harmonies, folk songs, hymns, shape note music, and the melodic and rhythmic elements of the world around her. This “…rising star,” (Oregon Arts Watch) is one of “…Portland’s most forward-thinking composers,” (Willamette Week) who is “…establishing a new normal of what will someday be called early 21st-century classical music” (Oregon Arts Watch). An early- and new-music devotee, Philipps is a multi-instrumentalist and lifelong singer currently in the alto section of the Oregon Repertory Singers, as well as the Composer-in-Residence for the Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choir. Her music for choirs, chamber ensembles, soloists, and orchestras has been performed across North America, and she holds degrees in composition from Portland State University and in philosophy from St. John’s College, Santa Fe. Philipps is a member of the American Composers Forum, the American Choral Directors Association, and ASCAP, as well as the proprietor of Sirensong Publishing, the primary distributor of her work. You can find more information about Stacey Philipps on her website. 

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

FitzGibbon adds, “On behalf of the board, I want to express our gratitude to Donna Dermond and Damien Geter who have concluded their service as valued board members. We wish Donna all the best in future endeavors and look forward to Damien’s continued service and counsel as co-artistic advisor. Their years of service have undoubtedly placed Resonance in a better position to continue growing in this exciting new chapter, and we remain deeply grateful for all they have brought to Resonance Ensemble.”

The new board members began their three-year term effective November 2022 and will oversee future projects and ongoing development for Resonance Ensemble.

For more information on Resonance Ensemble’s mission and current programming, click here.

Note to Journalists: If you would like more information about Resonance or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at liz@resonancechoral.org or by calling 971-212-8034

About Resonance Ensemble:
Resonance Ensemble, a professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Oregon, creates powerful programs that promote meaningful social change. Resonance Ensemble works to amplify voices that have long been silenced, and does 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 Portland: poets, jazz musicians, singer-songwriters, painters, dancers. The Resonance singers are “one of the Northwest’s finest choirs” (I), with gorgeous vocal tone, and they also make music with heart. As Oregon Arts Watch recently wrote, “They do social justice music justice: their concerts are part social commentary, part group therapy, and part best damn choir show in town.”

Follow Resonance Ensemble on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube @ResonanceChoralPDX

What Resonates? Katherine FitzGibbon looks at 2022 and beyond

Our hearts resonate at the same frequency as the earth and the universe.
Therefore, we are all valuable instruments in the orchestration of the world and its harmony. 

— Suzy Kassem, activist and poet

What resonates for us? What resonates for our audiences?  What resonates for the world?

These questions continue to motivate our programming, along with how and where we present it. As we look back at 2022 and all the incredible art that was created, we share a few special memories in gratitude for all the opportunities we have had to resonate with our community.

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

In March, we premiered our first commission of the year, a substantial new work featuring indigenous languages called The Abya Yala Choral Suite, by Chilean-born Portland composer Freddy Vilches. Partnering with Las Matices Latin Ensemble, the program was also able to share a vast array of indigenous instruments with audiences in both Portland and Spokane at the National Choral Directors Association conference.

“Thank you to Resonance for championing my work and helping vindicate the voices of indigenous poets across the Americas. I will forever be grateful.”

This is what resonates.

In May, joining forces with Oregon Symphony and All Classical Portland, Resonance finally premiered An African American Requiem – Damien Geter’s bold, thought-provoking musical response to violence against African Americans in the United States. Performer Negasi Brown commented, “I have never felt more seen by a performance. I found it hard to hold back tears when the show ended, seeing our four amazing Black soloists take their final bows, imagining that it could actually be me up there one day.” 

This is what resonates.

Solo performers from An African American Requiem (Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, Bernard Holcombe, Karmesha Peake, Brandie Inez Sutton, and Kenneth Overton). Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

Photo by Rachel Hadiashar

In October, we presented an evening of stories and music at the historic Alberta House–exploring bodily autonomy, reproductive justice, and the power of voices joining together in our program: We Dissent. Alberta House Director Vin Shambry called it “one of the most moving performances [he] ever attended.”

This is what resonates.

We aren’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

In January we showcase powerhouse performances at our signature cabaret evening, Dirty, Stupid Music. In March’s Portland Protests, we premiere three commissioned works by Portland-based composers Kenji Bunch, Judy A. Rose, and Kimberly Osberg who will set their music to new poetry by Mimi A. Sei, Vin Shambry, and Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, respectively. 

In June, Earth’s Protection explores the impacts of our industrialized society on our planet, indigenous cultures, and climate change. The program features long-anticipated collaborations with Fear No Music, composer/cellist and Resonance Board Member Nancy Ives, and artwork by Joe Cantrell.

So what resonates WITH you?

Photo by Karen Pride

Our programming is developed with you in mind–we’d love to hear from you about how this past year’s performances have impacted and inspired you. Comment below or get in touch with us on the contact page to let us know what resonated with you in 2022, and what we can do in 2023 to increase our impact.

As we work to raise $65,000 before the end of the year to unlock a generous matching gift, we ask you to consider donating to Resonance Ensemble. To donate today, please mail back the enclosed envelope with your check or credit card info, visit resonancechoral.org, or call us at 503-427-8701.

Your donation, no matter the size, makes our work possible. From commissioning new works and inviting composers from around the world to share their stories with Portland listeners, to bringing this music to a global audience through the Resonance Ensemble Access Project fund and showcasing Portland’s immense talent at home and beyond, your contribution resonates throughout your community and to the world at large.

THANK YOU.

Along with our artists, staff, and Board of Directors, I thank you for supporting Resonance Ensemble.

We simply couldn’t do it without you.  

Sincerely,

Katherine FitzGibbon, President and Artistic Director

“DIRTY, STUPID MUSIC VOL. 3” Featuring Powerhouse Performers and more

The intimate cabaret show returns to Curious Comedy Theater with two live performances 

Resonance Ensemble proudly announces “Dirty, Stupid Music Vol. 3,” a show that Artslandia magazine once deemed an “irreverent, feisty look at cabaret.” Blending elements of classical cabaret music, spoken word, devised theatre, satire, parody, and more, Dirty, Stupid Music harks back to the informal French nightspots of the 19th century where poets, artists, and composers performed. Resonance brings this intimate show back to Curious Comedy Theater on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm. 

Erik Satie - the inspiration for the name of our concert!

The title Dirty, Stupid Music was inspired by Erik Satie’s description of his cabaret music as “more stupid and dirty than anything.” Both performances feature an impressive ensemble cast, with acclaimed vocalists Madeline Ross, Cecille Elliot, Brandon Michael, Erik Hundtoft, and Shohei Kobayashi, as well as the talented pianist, David Saffert. Each show will also have special appearances by mystery guests. 

Katherine FitzGibbon on the Curious Comedy Stage

After a hiatus from Dirty, Stupid Music during the pandemic, Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon felt it was exactly the right time to bring back Resonance’s signature cabaret show for its third edition. “These five vocalists have that timeless skill of being able to be completely vulnerable and personal in their connection with the audience. We all crave that feeling of being in the room with performers who feel like they’re speaking directly to us.” 

This year’s music includes diverse and rarely-performed songs from cabaret, musical theater, jazz, classical, and folk genres. The cast has spun together a show looking at what we owe to each other as a community and what we long for individually, with humorous and poignant takes from each performer. Music ranging from Charles Ives to Rhiannon Giddens to Harold Arlen to Joe Cocker will be featured, as well as the world premiere of a new work for vocal quartet, from performer-composer Cecille Elliott.

Resonance returns to Curious Comedy Theater, the cabaret-style theater known for its state-of-the-art lights, sound, and projection, with a full bar serving delicious food and drinks. 

Dirty, Stupid Music Vol. 3 is a fundraising event. All funds raised from the concert will be used to support Resonance’s impactful programming. Concertgoers can enter to win drawings, and place bids in a silent auction. 

David Saffert and Erik Hundtoft from Dirty, Stupid Music 2017, at Curious Comedy.

“This is the night where we get to let our hair down.” FitzGibbon further entices, “This team of performers has been poring over the incredible cabaret music of the 20th and 21st centuries to choose music that matters to them. I’m grateful that we’ll be able to come together for a fundraising event that supports Resonance’s mission of bringing new music into the world to create change.”

Tickets to this fundraising event are *$125 and include dinner, wine, and a seat at the cabaret – on sale now here or by calling (503) 427-8701.

*Beginning on Friday, November 25, take advantage of our BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND SALE: Enter promo code DIRTY for 50% off all tickets to DSM - prices discounted through Giving Tuesday! (November 29!) Details here.

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CLICK HERE to read Krista Garver’s full 2017 Dirty, Stupid Music Broadway World review.

AROUND THE REQUIEM FILM SCREENING IS POSTPONED TO APRIL 21, 2023

Due to illness, Resonance Ensemble and Alberta House have decided to postpone the screening for Around the Requiem.

Around the Requiem will now premiere Friday, April 21, 2023. The live event will include a panel discussion featuring Katherine FitzGibbon, Artistic Director for Resonance Ensmeble, Damien Geter, composer and Artistic Advisor for Resonance, Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, poet and moderator on the film, and Vin Shambry, Artistic Director, Alberta House.

Details to follow as we get closer to the event.

"AROUND THE REQUIEM" — A Film Premiere at Alberta House

On Thursday, November 17, 2022, Resonance Ensemble and Alberta House invite you to celebrate the premiere of the short film, “Around the Requiem,” featuring an intimate conversation with the artists and members of the creative team from last spring’s An African American Requiem. 

About the Film: Commissioned by Resonance Ensemble and produced by Oh! Creative, the film was made two days before the world premiere of An African American Requiem. In the film, poet and collaborator Dr. S. Renee Mitchell moderates a conversation with composer Damien Geter; conductor William Eddins; soloists Brandie Sutton, Karmesha Peake, Bernard Holcomb, and Kenneth Overton; and Onry, a baritone from the African American Requiem choir. The group discusses the significance of Geter’s work, their experiences as Black artists in classical music, their struggles, and their joy.

Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, seen here in an episode featuring her “My Requiem Story”

Resonance created a series of videos to support the premiere of An African American Requiem, from the deeply personal My Requiem Story series to their curriculum that has reached hundreds of public school students (and counting!). “Around the Requiem” is the final video of the series.

About the Event: A reception will kick off the event at 6:00 PM, with small bites and a no-host bar, and the screening begins at 6:30 PM. Resonance Ensemble’s Artistic Director Dr. Katherine FitzGibbon and Alberta House’s Artistic Director Vin Shambry will introduce the 40-minute film. After the screening, all are welcome to stay for a conversation with Mitchell, FitzGibbon, and Shambry.

Vin Shambry holds his AAR tickets, which he keeps on his desk to remind him of the experience.

About the Partnership between Resonance Ensemble and Alberta House: Resonance Ensemble is an ensemble in residence at Alberta House, and their missions and histories have a great deal in common. Vin Shambry notes, “My work with Resonance goes back a long time. From performing with them, to collaborating to make the Portland arts community a more radically inclusive place, to being profoundly moved by this spring’s African American Requiem, it is important to me that this group’s voice is heard.” 

Shambry continues, “When I saw An African American Requiem last Spring, it moved me to my core. I even keep the tickets on my desk to remind me of that experience. And that’s just one example of why I love Resonance. This superpower of using art to remind us of our soul is the reason I do the work I do at Alberta House and why we are proud partners with Resonance.”

Donations are welcome; all proceeds will benefit future partnership initiatives between Resonance Ensemble and Alberta House. FitzGibbon adds, “We view this as an opportunity to give thanks for our ongoing partnership with Alberta House and our shared missions of creating art that builds community and promotes meaningful change.”

Reception at 6, welcome and premiere at 6:30

To register for the event click here.

Concert Reflection: We Dissent

All images in this post are by Rachel Hadiashar

On October 1, we kicked off our 14th season with “We Dissent,” a program featuring the treble voices of Resonance Ensemble with music inspired from recent court decisions.  The choir revisited works from our 2019 concert “Women Singing Women” and brought new music to the program, creating a space that explored human rights and what it means when our right to choose gets taken away.

Please enjoy highlights from this special program.

“‘We Dissent’ was one of the most moving performances I’ve ever attended.”

— Vin Shambry, Artistic Director, Alberta House

From the top

Cecille Elliott opened the show playing guitar and singing, “This is the sound of one voice…”
(“One Voice,” by the Wailin’ Jennys)

Amy Stuart Hunn (left) joins Cecille on stage to add her voice.

Cecily Kiester (far left) arrives to complete the trio.

This is the sound of all of us.

Composer Stacey Philipps in the audience

We were thrilled to have composer Stacey Philipps join us for a performance of her powerful work, “Witch Trial,” featuring Emma Lynn Abrams as soloist.

Composer Mari Esabel Valverde in our hearts

When the Dust Settles by composer Mari Esabel Valverde (who visited Resonance in Portland just this past spring) offered a lush and celebratory work that featured the full range of the ensemble’s altos and sopranos, supported by a gorgeous piano accompaniment.

Poignant solo moments

Mezzo Sarah Beaty received rousing applause for her performance of “Three Words” from Laura Kaminsky’s opera As One. She was accompanied by pianist Hannah Brewer, who performed on several other pieces with Resonance Ensemble for this concert.

Soloist Sarah Beaty

Pianist Hannah Brewer

Remembering those we’ve lost

The first half closed with Ysaye Barnwell’s Wanting Memories, a song about yearning for those who have died and the wisdom they imparted. Accompanied by pictures of women who were lost over the last two years —including Resonance supporters Marilyn Crilley and Dinah Dodds — this moving tribute left a good portion of our audience (and staff, and volunteers, and performers…) in tears.

Resonance performs Wanting Memories by Ysaye Barnwell, with some singers singing in the balcony.

Personal testimony

Many of the performers, including Artistic Director Katherine FitzGibbon, shared vulnerable stories of pregnancy decisions, celebrating and defending bodily autonomy, and speaking truth to power. 

Soprano Maria Karlin shared her struggles with depression and anxiety and then powered into her mind-blowing arrangement of Suzanne Vega’s Blood Makes Noise.

Performer Emma Lynn Abrams shared context on Stacey Philipps’ work, Witch Trial - including how some of the same stigmas towards self-sufficient women still exist today.

The reprisal of “LISTEN”

The featured reprisal of the 2019 Resonance Ensemble’s commission, LISTEN , was once again an audience favorite. Written by Melissa Dunphy, the work sets excerpts from the testimonies of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford, both of whom shared accounts of sexual harassment and assault by two of the justices who later supported the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade earlier this year. It provided yet another sobering reminder of the rights we are still fighting for today—and the persecution many face by speaking their truth.

The work continues, keeping hope alive

Jocelyn Hagen’s inspiring piece Starting Now, was the perfect way to end the day.

It reminded us that together, we continue to create a world where equality, agency, and bodily autonomy exist for everyone. We can only hope that the power of art will bring us closer to creating that world.

Open your eyes.
Feel your strength.
Bless the past.
Greet the future.
Join hands.
Right here.

Starting now.

THANK YOU!

It was a weekend filled with music and connection. Thank you to the performing artists who gave their hearts to this concert, to the composers who gave us the music, and to the supporters who came. Without all of you, we wouldn’t be here.

THE REAP INITIATIVE IN ACTION

Thanks to your support of the REAP initiative, we will soon be premiering the full concert. Join our mailing list and subscribe to our YouTube channel and stay tuned for more details.

A big THANK YOU to Alan Niven, who professionally recorded Sunday’s performance.