Each artist profile was crafted by a team of prominent local writers and photographers who transformed their research and interactions with the artists into gorgeous storytelling and portraits. Two years into this project, we continue to witness the impact that these groundbreaking artists have on our regional communities and beyond.

Keep reading to learn more about the project’s impact, as well as read exciting updates shared directly by some of the Anthology’s featured artists.

Project Stats

• 42 artist profiles published online and in the limited-edition book
• 34 local contributors who crafted each artist profile: 21 writers; 13 photographers
• Over 425 miles of the Pacific Northwest region represented
• 50,266 words written; 1,176 photos submitted
• Over 26,000 visits to anthology.allclassical.org as of October 10, 2025
• 460 pages comprising the extraordinary limited-edition book

Book Release

In May 2025, All Classical released its debut published book: the stunning, limited-edition Artist Anthology. With expanded biographical features, plus additional exclusive content available only in the book, you won’t want to miss out on this collectible snapshot of regional contemporary art. There’s nothing else like it in the world.

Order your copy of the All Classical Radio Artist Anthology at shop.allclassical.org.

Artist Updates

Since their profiles were first published online between 2023-2024, we’ve heard from several of the Anthology’s featured artists on recent updates and exciting milestones around their work.

Joe Cantrell

Joe Cantrell continues to be a pillar of the community, not only by sharing his time and wisdom with local arts organizations, but also through his astounding images.

In honor of the Artist Anthology’s second anniversary, Joe writes, “I felt the need to work up a commemorative image of my own as Bolero plays on the air. I AM TEAM BOLERO if they’ll have me, and this 225,000,000-year-old Ammonite child’s name is ‘Bolero’ too.”

Darrell Grant

Darrell Grant will be making his symphony soloist debut at the end of October, performing the world premiere of David Schiff’s Uptown/Downtown: Concerto for Piano & Orchestra with the Oregon Symphony.

Please enjoy this exclusive sneak peek at Darrell’s upcoming performance of Uptown/Downtown:

Hunter Noack

Hunter Noack’s IN A LANDSCAPE celebrated its tenth anniversary season with 49 concerts across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. 

The New York Times traveled to Oregon’s Alvord Desert and Ketchum, Idaho to highlight IN A LANDSCAPE in a feature published online and in both national and international printed papers. Other recent press includes a segment aired on PBS’ Backroads of Montana, and stories in Fox Weather, Flaunt, Success, Airmail, and C Magazine. 

Forbes Magazine highlighted this season’s work with farmers, ranchers, and two culinary collaborators: An IN A LANDSCAPE ice cream flavor created in partnership with Salt & Straw’s Tyler Malek to be eaten with Scriabin’s Nocturne No. 9, available only at the Rose Garden Amphitheater concert; and picnic baskets curated by the James Beard Award–winning restaurant Kann for all Portland concerts.

In June, Hunter released his second album, IN A LANDSCAPE: LIVE, featuring eleven live recordings from the past decade of IN A LANDSCAPE concerts. Special guest artists include James Edmund Greeley and May Arden.

Corinna Luyken

Corinna Luyken’s latest picture book, The Arguers, is a delightfully preposterous fairy tale about a community that forgets how to get along. Called “A charming illustrated parable about the absurdity of self-righteousness” by Maria Popova of The Marginalian, “Thoroughly enchanting, without argument” by Kirkus, and “Stangely beautiful [with] art that can be pored over time and time again” by Booklist, it was published this past summer by Rocky Pond Books of Penguin Random House.

Get a special preview of the book in the animated trailer for The Arguers on Corinna’s Instagram!

Myriam Marcela

“Two years ago, I was in a very different place. I had come through a season of loss and depression, and I remember wanting to share that truth openly—because even as artists, surrounded by beauty and creativity, we can still face moments of deep struggle. I wanted others to know they weren’t alone, and that healing is possible, even when it feels far away.

“Today, I’m creating again from a place of joy and purpose. I’ve moved into a larger studio where I continue to create one-of-a-kind couture pieces. Each garment feels like a collaboration, a shared story told through fabric and form.

“I’ve also begun offering private fashion design and couture lessons, sharing the craft and techniques that have shaped my career. It’s been rewarding to connect with students who are eager to learn the art of creating with intention and excellence.

“My hope is that my story reminds others that even after the hardest seasons, beauty and purpose can return in richer, more unexpected ways. Much like the vintage pieces I take apart and bring back to life, I’ve done the same with myself—transforming what once felt broken into something entirely new and beautiful.”

Sankar Raman

“Two years ago, I wasn’t expecting much when I saw an email from All Classical Radio — Portland’s KQAC — in my inbox. I remember opening it, not realizing that it would lead to being included in their ‘Artist Anthology’ — a project celebrating groundbreaking voices from across the Pacific Northwest. What began as a simple invitation soon unfolded into a collaboration that built bridges between communities and amplified voices not often heard in classical music spaces.

“All Classical Radio launched the ‘Artist Anthology’ to highlight 40 remarkable creatives whose work shapes the cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest. It wasn’t until the profiles began rolling out that I realized the magnitude of the company I was keeping — artists, writers, and visionaries whose contributions define the region’s creative spirit.

“There I was, featured as No. 25, humbled and a little astonished to find myself among them, wondering if I truly belonged.

“Yet being included in this collection felt like both an affirmation and an invitation — a reminder that the creative community here is broader, braver, and more inclusive than even I ever imagined. As with all of All Classical Radio’s endeavors, the project was carried out with deep intentionality, transforming recognition into an act of artistry in itself.

“On October 14 and 15, 2025, we were invited back into All Classical Radio’s brand-new, world-class studio in Portland’s iconic KOIN Tower as part of their Access Recording Project 2025. It was an incredible honor, and we were absolutely thrilled to record at All Classical’s Irving Levin Performance Hall and the James DePreist Recording Studio.

“Over the course of two full days — 10 hours in total — we enjoyed professional recording time complete with every resource a musician could dream of — all at no cost to us. The experience was made even more special by working with Portland legend Justin Phelps of The Hallowed Halls recording studio, who served as our recording engineer.

“Many of you may not know that The Immigrant Story has been collaborating for years with local artists, musicians, and composers to create some of the most heartfelt and innovative world music fusion projects. This new work is no exception, and we can’t wait for you to hear it!

“Having spent time in the James DePreist Recording Studio, I can honestly say it’s one of Portland’s finest: spacious, state-of-the-art, and staffed by some of the most talented, welcoming, and knowledgeable engineers around.

“Our upcoming album will be released soon under the recording label ‘I Am An American Live.’ Stay tuned to hear world-class music produced right here in Portland!”

Gabriel Rucker

The wonderful team at Chef Gabriel Rucker’s restaurant, Le Pigeon, will be opening a new outpost of Canard in Beaverton, Oregon in mid-October. The new location have all the Canard staples—oysters, oeufs, steam burgers, and the duck stack—alongside playful new, west side specific creations like a smoked s’more icebox cake. Dustin Cavin will be the chef de cuisine. 

Learn more at canardrestaurant.com.

Kim Stafford

Kim Stafford co-edited a book that contains fifty translations of his poem, “A Proclamation for Peace,” into Yoruba, Tagalog, Zapotec, Tamil, Nepali, Roma, and other languages. The book contains QR codes that empower readers to hear translations read aloud. 

Takeshi Yonezawa

Takeshi Yonezawa is currently working on pieces for his first solo exhibition, which will be held in 2028 at a museum in Wyoming and will run for several months. He has been creating a new war bonnet, as well as new bonsai and skateboard pieces, and each day feels full of challenges and discoveries for the artist.

Revisit all of the profiles at anthology.allclassical.org and order the stunning book for your shelf at shop.allclassical.org.

José White Lafitte (1836-1918)

Born in Cuba, violinist and composer José White Lafitte showed signs of musical talent from a young age. At 19 years old, White Lafitte performed the violin publicly for the first time with American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk. The performance’s success led to White Lafitte’s enrollment at the Paris Conservatory, where he won the First Grand Prize for Violin within his first year of study.

White Lafitte went on to enjoy a fruitful career as a touring performer, composer, and educator. Fun fact: one of his students was George Enescu.

For over a decade, White Lafitte worked as the director of the Imperial Conservatory in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the court composer of Emperor Pedro II. As a composer, his works often feature the violin and elegantly straddle the traditions of the romantic era with musical features from his homeland.

Carlos Chávez (1899-1978)

The prolific career of Mexican composer and conductor Carlos Chávez spanned over 50 years. Appreciated as one of the most influential musical figures in Mexican history, Chávez created a distinct sound world that honored his home country. His emergence into adulthood coincided with the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1921, after which a new cultural nationalism emerged that made a significant impression on the young composer.

Chávez wrote over 200 works, from ballets and symphonies to pieces for piano and small ensemble. As a conductor, he led nearly every major orchestra in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. However, perhaps his most significant impact was his advocacy for increased access to the arts in Mexico. As founder and head of the Orquesta Sinfónica de México (OSM), Chávez organized concerts for workers and children. He even took the orchestra out to rural Mexican provinces, bringing classical music to many audiences for the first time.

José Pablo Moncayo (1912-1958)

Speaking of Carlos Chávez, the illustrious composer taught our next subject, José Pablo Moncayo, at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. Moncayo was a pianist and percussionist, though he is best remembered today as a conductor rather than a composer. His orchestral piece, Huapango, is a popular choice for the concert hall. Along with three other Mexican composers, Moncayo formed the “Group of Four” to foster a nationalist school of Mexican music, similar to France’s “Les Six” and Russia’s “The Five.” He championed idioms from Mexican folk music in his works and sought to incorporate these sounds into the Classical vernacular.

Fun fact: Moncayo was invited to study composition with Aaron Copland at Tanglewood during the summer of 1942.

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)

Argentinian composer Carlos Guastavino showed talent for the piano from an early age. A self-proclaimed lover of melody and song, Guastavino would write hundreds of songs over the course of his career (many of which have not been published), leading admirers to claim him as “The Argentine Schubert.” He was devoted to tonal harmony and traditional musical forms amid the rise of experimental musical styles in the mid-20^th century, and he was inspired by the folk music of Argentina. Guastavino felt that simple, memorable melodies were the way to a listener’s heart.

Guastavino set words by León Benarós to music in over 60 songs and maintained a long, collaborative friendship with the poet. In addition to art song, Guastavino also wrote works for orchestra, piano, and guitar.

Violeta Parra (1917-1967)

Violeta Parra was a highly influential Chilean composer, singer-songwriter, and artist. Her father taught her and her siblings to sing and play the guitar from a young age. Unsurprisingly, Parra took to songwriting right away with passion. She was particularly inspired by Chilean folk music, which led her to co-create a new musical genre—Nueva canción chilena (“Chilean New Song”), merging native folk music with themes of social justice. Parra endeavored to keep the traditions of Chile, especially those from rural regions, alive for future generations.

Recognized as the “Mother of Latin American Folk,” Parra mastered the art of storytelling through her songs. Parra’s work as a folk musician also proved that the boundaries between classical and popular music are artificial, with recordings of her music by classical artists such as Elīna Garanča and Yo-Yo Ma.

José Elizondo (b. 1972)

Composer José Elizondo was born in Mexico and currently resides in the U.S. He holds degrees in Music and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he also studied music at Harvard University. Elizondo has built a dual career for himself as both a composer and an engineer—his engineering work focuses on speech-recognition technology, combining his interests in computer science, linguistics, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence.

As a composer, Elizondo has become best known for his compositions written for cello despite never learning how to play the string instrument. While studying music in college, Elizondo was introduced to the cello after hearing a performance by Carlos Prieto and becoming immensely inspired by the musician. Elizondo’s music is regularly performed by distinguished artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Allison Eldredge, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and many more. Elizondo prides himself on writing music that is joyful, heartfelt, and accessible to all audiences.

Discover More

Check out these posts from the Arts Blog to continue learning about Hispanic composers we love to play on air:

• Five Composers You Need to Know for National Hispanic Heritage Month (2024)
• Hispanic Composers in America (2021)

Teresa Carreño (1853-1917)

Known as the “valkyrie of the piano,” Teresa Carreño was a Venezuelan concert pianist, singer, and composer. Born in Caracas, Carreño and her family moved to New York when the musician was still a child in response to growing political instability. Spending time in both New York and Paris during her upbringing, Carreño was able to pursue an international musical career. She became one of the first female pianists to tour the United States, quickly becoming a role model for subsequent generations of American woman musicians. As a composer, Carreño wrote around 80 works, many of which were for the piano and performed herself in concert.

Fun fact: In 1863, when Carreño was still a child, she performed for Abraham Lincoln at the White House. Decades later, in 1916, she returned to the White House to perform for Woodrow Wilson.

Fernande Decruck (1896-1954)

French composer and organist Fernande Decruck made her gift for music known early on in life. Having won several prestigious accolades by her teens, Decruck entered the Paris Conservatory, where she excelled in composition and piano studies. As she began to make her mark as a working professional, Decruck spent a period of time touring throughout the United States, giving impressive concerts on the organ where she would improvise for the audience. This period in the U.S. also proved fruitful for composing, resulting in many new works for piano and organ, as well as her first works for saxophone—Decruck’s husband, Maurice, played the instrument and successfully earned a position playing with the New York Philharmonic.

After returning to France, Decruck continued to devote her life to music: composing, performing, and teaching. Despite her successful career, her legacy fell into obscurity following her death and has only recently begun gaining attention once more.

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)

Grażyna Bacewicz was a Polish-Lithuanian violinist, pianist, and composer who created a unique path for herself (at least for a woman at the time) by pursuing performance and composition on relatively equal terms. Having studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Bacewicz would go on to premiere many of her own works in concert. The bulk of her catalog consisted of chamber music works, particularly music written for strings. She became well-known and appreciated in her native Poland but had a harder time breaking down barriers on the international stage. Unfortunately, for the last 15 years of her life, Bacewicz was forced to retire from performing and focus exclusively on composition because of injuries suffered from a car accident.

Fun fact: In addition to writing music, Bacewicz also wrote novels and short stories.

Joan Tower (b. 1938)

Trailblazing American composer Joan Tower’s career has spanned more than sixty years, making a significant mark on the world of classical music in the States and beyond. When asked about her musical voice, Tower has responded, “My music is about rhythm, predominantly, the rhythm of ideas. And it’s also organic, and it has a large-scale narrative…  It’s also very important for me to be clear: I don’t think my music ever gets complicated enough that you don’t hear everything.”

In 2020, Tower was chosen as “Composer of the Year” by Musical America, and in 2019, the League of American Orchestras awarded her its highest honor, the Gold Baton. She currently serves as the Asher B. Edelman Professor in the Arts at Bard College, where she has taught since 1972. All Classical Radio listeners likely know Tower best for Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, which is dedicated to women who take risks and who are adventurous.

Victoria Yagling (1946-2011)

Born into a family of artists and intellectuals, Victoria Yagling was a Russian cellist and composer who made a name for herself as a major force in the USSR. Unfortunately, she would have to wait until 1990 to break beyond her native barriers when she was able to emigrate to Finland. While continuing to compose, Yagling also taught cello at the Jean Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Unsurprisingly, her works for the string instrument have become the most prominent part of Yagling’s compositional legacy. Stylistically, her music embodies a Romantic essence unmistakably born out of the influence of her fellow Russian predecessors, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.

Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958)

Errollyn Wallen CBE is a Belize-born British composer who recently became the first Black woman to be appointed Master of the King’s Music, an honor that endorses her exceptional musical contributions. Wallen’s works have also been performed at the BBC Proms, the 2012 Paralympic Games, and the late Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees. As an emerging composer in the 1980s, Wallen struggled with breaking down barriers for women in the field, especially women of color. Consequently, she co-founded, along with other female composers, musicians, and administrators, the organization Women in Music, promoting works by underrepresented voices in the field.

As a composer, Wallen has written over 20 operas in addition to a large catalog of works for orchestra and chamber ensemble.

Reena Esmail (b. 1983)

Based in Los Angeles, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail connects the worlds of Indian and Western classical soundscapes in her music. With a focus on works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and choir, Esmail uses her music to address humanity in art and create a sense of belonging and inclusivity among its listeners. After earning degrees from both The Julliard School and Yale School of Music, she subsequently sought a return to her cultural roots and attained a Fulbright-Nehru grant to study Hindustani music in India.

Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence. She also currently serves as Artistic Director of Shastra, an organization that fosters cross-cultural dialogue between Western music and the music of India. In 2022, Esmail’s life and career were featured on an episode of the PBS Great Performances series, “Now Hear This.”

Naomi LaViolette

Naomi LaViolette is an American composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter whose music is influenced not only by her classical education but also by her study of jazz, folk songs, soul, pop, and gospel. As a singer, Naomi attributes songwriting in her early 20s as a way to process strong emotions and experiences. With four albums of original music under her belt and many more singles, Naomi writes songs filled “with the stories, emotions, celebrations, and struggles of what it means to be human.”

LaViolette is based in Portland, OR, and has collaborated with several local organizations. Since 2004, she has been the pianist for the Oregon Repertory Singers, in addition to working with the Oregon Symphony as a songwriter and arranger for The Lullaby Project. Her work with Saving His Music, a project preserving the music of a talented pianist suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, received prominent coverage both locally and across the country.

Keep Learning

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few more from the Arts Blog celebrating the lives of women composers:

• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2024 Edition
• Women We Love to Play On Air: 2023 Edition
• María García’s Five “Must Hear” Women Composers

Past composers can sometimes feel distant, trapped in the pages of old history books. Yet, they felt immense passion and love not only for composing but also for certain special people. From the nearly 40-year romance between Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears to the mysterious “Immortal Beloved” of Beethoven, let’s explore some of the great love stories from classical music.

Robert Schumann & Clara Wieck

Robert and Clara first met 13 years before their marriage. When Clara was just 8 years old—and already a virtuoso on the piano herself—the teenaged Robert began taking piano lessons with Clara’s father. Over the next several years, the two musicians grew to know each other well. In time, friendship turned into love. Robert and Clara’s courtship was long and not without challenges. Clara’s father vehemently opposed the match, and only after suing him were they finally able to make things official.

As a wedding gift, Robert compiled 26 songs into a collection called “Myrtles,” named after the herb associated with the Ancient Greek goddess, Aphrodite. Myrtle was also traditionally included in German bridal bouquets.

Ludwig van Beethoven & his “Immortal Beloved”

During the summer of 1812, Ludwig van Beethoven penned a letter that would unleash decades, if not centuries, of debate. The letter’s recipient was notably referred to as “Immortal Beloved,” though no actual name was ever used. The document was never sent and only discovered after the composer’s death. We may never know who Beethoven intended to bestow such sweet words, but the mystery around this romantic gesture is tantalizing…

Gustav Mahler & Alma Schindler

Did you know that Gustav Mahler was not only a composer of massive symphonic works but also a hopeless romantic? The courtship of Mahler and the promising young composer and socialite, Alma Schindler, was quick and passionate. The two met at a dinner party, and Mahler was immediately infatuated with “the most beautiful woman in Vienna.” Within weeks of meeting, the couple was married in an intimate private ceremony.

Around the same time of the couple’s marriage, Mahler was working on his fifth symphony. The fourth movement, called “Adagietto,” may be one of the most romantic pieces of orchestral music ever written. No text accompanies this piece, yet it still contains an exquisite level of poetic expression. Gustav even sent Alma the score to this movement as a love letter, for what communicates affection more completely than music, especially for a composer?

Benjamin Britten & Peter Pears

The relationship between Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears is one for the ages. The two met through a mutual friend and remained together for nearly 40 years, until Britten’s death. While they could never publicly acknowledge their romantic relationship – they managed to build a rich and fulfilling life together. Letter writing was a regular form of communication. Britten and Pears left behind hundreds of handwritten documents as part of their romantic legacy. As a professional singer, Pears also became something of a muse for Britten and inspired many of the composer’s best-known works.

Leoš Janáček & Kamila Stösslová

Leoš Janáček was 63 years old when we first met a 25-year-old woman named Kamila Stösslová. Janáček quickly became enamored with Kamila, obsessively writing to her on a regular basis and incorporating visions of her into his music. She was reportedly flattered by the composer’s affection. The problem, however, was that both Janáček and Stösslová were already married… to other people!

Kamila remained loyal to her husband, while remaining in touch with Leoš. He, on the other hand, would use his yearning for his unattainable love interest to fuel his writing. Over the next decade, Stösslová inspired some of his most famous pieces of music.

This blog post was written in collaboration with All Classical’s Winter/Spring 2025 intern, Andrew Jenks.

Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943)

Robert Nathaniel Dett was born in Drummondville, Ontario, a community founded by freedom-seekers who escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Dett received a substantial musical education, first from Oberlin Conservatory where he was the first person of African descent to graduate with a double major in piano and composition, followed by a master’s degree from Eastman School of Music many years later. A significant part of Dett’s legacy lies in his work as a choral conductor at the Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), where he led the program to a new level of artistic achievement and excellence. As a composer, he published around 100 works, many of which were arrangements of folksongs and spirituals written for the Hampton choir.   

Recommended recording: The piano suite, In the Bottoms, performed by pianist Luke Welch on the album, Northern Magnolias: Robert Nathaniel Dett Piano Works.

Dorothy Rudd Moore (1940-2022)

American composer Dorothy Rudd Moore knew from a young age that she wanted to compose, a dream that was lovingly supported by her family. Following this dream with persistence, Moore became one of her generation’s leading female composers of color. As a composer, she wrote works for chamber ensemble, piano, and orchestra, in addition to art songs and an opera. Moore also played an essential role in uplifting Black artists by co-founding the Society of Black Composers in 1968 alongside her husband, cellist Kermit Moore. Her work as an educator at several New York-based institutions inspired a new generation of up-and-coming musicians.

Recommended recording: 3 Pieces for Violin & Piano performed by Dawn Wohn (violin) and Emely Phelps (piano) on the album, Unbounded: Music by American Women.

Shirley J. Thompson (b. 1958)

East London native Shirley J. Thompson is a pioneering composer whose music has been claimed as “the present and future of British classical music.” Despite a string of successes early on in her career, Thompson was shut out of the classical music world for many years, during which time she worked in television and composed on the side. However, by the early 2000s, Thompson began establishing herself once more as a compositional force and welcomed a long list of prestigious commissions, including a symphony for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. In 2019, Thompson received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to music. Her works for orchestra, stage, chamber ensemble, TV, and film are performed all over the world.

Recommended recording: “Marshes, Hamlets and Roaming Cows,” the first movement of Thompson’s innovative symphony, New Nation Rising, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the album, New Nation Rising: A 21st Century Symphony.

Stewart Goodyear (b. 1978)

Stewart Goodyear is a Canadian pianist and composer whose prestige on the keyboard instrument has long garnered attention, including his infamous “sonathons” where he performs all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in one day. Goodyear’s work writing music, on the other hand, is a more recent development in his career trajectory. However, in doing so, Goodyear joins a long lineage of concert pianist-composers in classical music, such as W. A. Mozart, Clara Schumann, and Sergei Rachmaninov. Goodyear channels his virtuosic piano playing into many of his own works and regularly programs them in concerts alongside well-known classical music standards, proving the genre’s timeless influence and merit.

Recommended recording: The Kapok for Cello and Piano performed by Inbal Segev (cello) and Stewart Goodyear (piano) on the album, 20 for 2020 Volume IV.

Derrick Skye (b. 1982)

Los Angeles-based composer Derrick Skye has made a name for himself integrating musical practices and connections across cultures from around the world into his work. A student of West African drumming and dance, Persian classical music, Hindustani classical music, Balkan music theory, and more, Skye layers outwardly disparate traditions into groundbreaking works for the concert hall. He uses rhythm, and the embodiment of rhythm through movement, as a unifying feature for much of his music, often collaborating with choreographers and even synchronized swimmers. Skye’s compositional oeuvre includes works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, and film.

Recommended recording: The orchestra work, Prisms, Cycles, Leaps, performed by Bridge to Everywhere on the album, Prisms, Cycles, Leaps.

Jon Batiste (b. 1986)

Jon Batiste is a musical artist of many trades – singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and TV personality. Batiste rose to prominence as the musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015-2022, though he has been releasing recordings of his works since 2005 (several of which have won Grammy Awards). Batiste grew up in Louisiana, the son of a jazz musician and professional singer, and was consequently exposed to a wide variety of musical influences throughout his upbringing. Since emerging on the professional scene, Batiste has redefined what it means to be a modern-day musician and is consistently breaking down barriers. In 2020, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the Disney/Pixar film, Soul. The film also earned Batiste a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, an NAACP Image Award, and a Critic’s Choice Award.

Recommended recording: Chopinesque performed by Jon Batiste on the album, Hollywood Africans.

Keep Learning

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few more from the Arts Blog celebrating the lives of Black musical artists:

• Seven Black Contemporary Composers You Need to Know
• Celebrate Black History Month with All Classical Radio
• Nine Black Women Who Changed Opera Forever

Since 2019, we’ve explored holiday classics on the Arts Blog, such as “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “Silent Night.” Each year, we’ve expanded our exploration of carols to cover several centuries, origins, languages, and even holidays beyond Christmas. This year, we’re thrilled to continue in this tradition and cover a mix of dear favorites and lesser-known jewels.

Be sure to tune in to our Festival of Carols on All Classical Radio from December 22-25, and check out the rest of our holiday programming!

Hodie Christus Natus Est

The words of the carol Hodie Christus Natus Est (Today Christ is born) originate from a 6th-century Gregorian chant that was traditionally sung at Christmas. One of the text sources comes from the Gospel of Luke: “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord…” Another comes from Psalm 32, which begins, “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice…” In the time since its Medieval origins, the chant has emerged as a popular Christmas carol and has been interpreted by many composers throughout the subsequent centuries, including Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, William Byrd, and Giovanni Palestrina.

Let’s listen to Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck’s interpretation of the chant published in 1619. Sweelinck’s music straddles the Renaissance and Baroque eras and is a shining example of the power of polyphony (the combination of several melodies sung together to create a rich vocal tapestry). You can follow along with the English translation of the Latin text here.

What Sweeter Music

Renowned English composer and choral director John Rutter is no stranger to holiday music and has written many beloved Christmas carols. One such work, What Sweeter Music, was composed in 1988 for the choir of King’s College for their Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. (And in case you didn’t know, All Classical broadcasts this Christmas Eve tradition every year. Be sure to tune in at 7:00 AM PT on Tuesday, December 24, 2024). For What Sweeter Music, Rutter chose to set words by 17th-century English poet Robert Herrick which celebrate the birth of Jesus through joyful song.

Jesu, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring) from Cantata 147

J. S. Bach originally composed Cantata 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and mouth and deed and life) for the Advent season in 1716, rewriting it a few years later while serving in his new position as music director at St. Thomas School in Leipzig. Bach wrote this well-known cantata for the Feast of the Visitation to the Virgin Mary, which is closely associated with the anticipation of the birth of Jesus. For text, Bach looked to the Gospel of Luke for inspiration. The most famous movement from the work, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” appears twice in Cantata 147: once in the middle, and once as a reprise at the end with new text. As you listen to this holiday anthem, read along with an English translation of the German text here.

Gabriel’s Message

Gabriel’s Message (“The angel Gabriel from heaven came…”) originated as an anonymous Medieval Basque hymn that has since been arranged by several choral composers, including Edgar Pettman, John Rutter, and Stephen Paulus. The text tells the story of the Annunciation as it relates to the celebration of Christmas and relays an intimate interaction between Gabriel and Mary. Not long after it was written, the carol became popular across regional boundaries and even crossed the English Channel.

Fun fact: Chaucer quoted the carol as part of The Miller’s Tale in his Canterbury Tales.

El Noi de la Mare

The gentle Catalan Christmas carol, El Noi de la Mare (The Son of the Virgin), could easily double as a lullaby. Written in three variations, the carol’s three verses ask, “What shall we give the son of the Mary?” The narrative refers to figs in all three verses, and in the final stanza, the figs that are “still green” are a reference to Jesus as an innocent child, and the fig’s “ripening” is his coming work of redemption. Read an English translation of the text here. Given its Spanish origins, this carol is frequently arranged for guitar, as seen below. In fact, guitarist Andrés Segovia is largely responsible for the work’s popularity outside of Spain.

A Cornish Christmas Carol

English composer Peter Warlock (born Philip Arnold Heseltine) contributed several beloved carols and choral works to the seasonal repertory, including his striking Cornish Christmas Carol. If you feel like this carol gives you a bit of aural whiplash, Warlock wrote the following note in his score: “To be sung fairly fast, with sudden alternations of hardness and sweetness, of rude heartiness and tenderness touched with awe.” Be sure to listen for the fleeting musical reference to another carol we’ve discussed already featured on the Arts Blog.

Gesu Bambino

Composed in 1917 by Pietro Yon, this Italian Christmas carol quickly became a seasonal staple across many nations. Born in Italy, Yon emigrated to the US at age 21 and wrote his famous carol while serving as organist of St. Francis Xavier Church in Manhattan. You might notice that the melody and text for the chorus are extracted from Adeste Fideles (Oh Come All Ye Faithful). Since its publication, Gesu Bambino has been performed both in Italian and English and recorded by such notable singers as Luciano Pavarotti and Kathleen Battle. You will find the English translation of the original Italian lyrics here.

A Boy Was Born

Using text of German origin from the 16^th century, English composer Benjamin Britten created his Christmas cantata, A Boy Was Born, while still a student at the Royal College of Music. This soaring a cappella piece marked Britten’s first major composition for voice and his first significant religious contribution. It’s important to note that the title, A Boy Was Born, is both the title of the cantata and the name of the work’s first movement. This first movement serves as the main theme upon which the subsequent six variations are built. When performed by itself, the first movement is hymn-like and sincere, evoking musical traditions of both centuries past and present.

Patapan

Originating from the Burgundy region of France, the traditional Christmas carol Patapan was written around 1700 by Bernard de la Monnoye. In addition to his work as a lawyer, La Monnoye wrote a well-known collection of thirteen Burgundian Christmas carols under the pseudonym “Gui Barozai,” with Patapan being the most popular today. Telling a story of two boys and their musical lessons in celebration, the original title of the carol was “Willie, Take Your Little Drum” and can be interpreted as a predecessor to The Little Drummer Boy. The carol’s title is meant to mimic the drummer’s sound while celebrating the baby Jesus’s birth. As you listen, follow along with an English translation of the text here.

A Christmas Carol

American composer Charles Ives’s A Christmas Carol was written with a calm, sweet, and lilting melody that offers a soft air of devotion. Composed in 1894, Ives wrote both the text and music for this carol himself and published it in a collection of 114 Songs in 1922. While the title might call to mind a certain Dickensian novella, Ives titled his carol in literal reference to the holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Ave Maria

German composer and arranger Franz Biebl’s interpretation of the Marian antiphon is a sublime choral masterpiece. Written for double-male chorus (and later arranged for mixed voices), Biebl wove elements of Medieval chant into a resolutely 20th-century piece. Originally composed in the 1950s, Biebl’s Ave Maria became widely popular in the U.S. after being recorded by the famed vocal ensemble Chanticleer. Interestingly, Biebl actually wrote the piece for a firemen’s choir in Bavaria. As for the text, while not directly connected to Christmas, the ancient prayer to Mary has become a consistent literary counterpart to other nativity texts.

Gloucestershire Wassail

Gloucestershire Wassail (“Wassail, Wassail, All Over the Town”) is a joyful traditional English carol dating from the 18^th century and commemorates the Christmastime wassailing tradition known throughout parts of England. Wassailing involves going from house to house and singing of good health while carrying a large, decorated bowl filled with mulled wine to offer townsfolk. The verses of text refer to many food items the carolers wish for in the new year, such as a good crop of corn and a good Christmas pie, as well as acknowledge many of the local livestock.

Keep the Celebration Going

Read about more favorites from the Festival of Carols in previous years’ editions of “The Stories of Twelve Carols”:

• 2023 Stories of Twelve Carols (including Still, still, still and While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks)
• 2022 Stories of Twelve Carols (including O Holy Night and In the Bleak Mid-Winter)
• 2021 Stories of Twelve Carols (including The Carol of the Bells and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)
• 2020 Stories of Twelve Carols (including The Holly and the Ivy and The Coventry Carol)
• 2019 Stories of Twelve Carols (including Joy to the World and Silent Night)

Be sure to tune in starting December 22^nd, 2024 to hear your favorites played on air. Learn more about All Classical Radio’s 2024 Holiday Programming.

At All Classical Radio, we celebrate the musical contributions of Hispanic and Latino composers—both living in the U.S. and outside—every day on air. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’d love to highlight a few extraordinary composers who have recently joined our daily playlist.

Ricardo Castro Herrera (1864-1907)

Mexican composer, pianist, and educator Ricardo Castro Herrera exploded onto the musical scene at a young age. At 19 years old, he graduated from the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City in half the typical amount of time, having already launched a professional career as a composer and pianist. Despite his relatively short life (he died in his early 40s from pneumonia), Castro Herrera left behind a sturdy oeuvre of works and traveled extensively to teach, from the US to the European continent.

As a composer, Castro Herrera was influenced by European composers of the Romantic era, particularly by German composers. Fun fact: Castro Herrera is credited with writing the first cello concerto and piano concerto by a Mexican composer.

Juan Bautista Plaza (1898-1965)

Juan Bautista Plaza was a Venezuelan composer, educator, and musicologist who played a significant role in forming the national musical identity of his home country. In his early 20s, he earned a scholarship to study sacred composition in Rome, which would make a lasting impact on his musical output going forward. Plaza’s works include (mostly sacred) choral music, as well as music for orchestra and other instrumental ensembles.

Upon returning to Venezuela, Plaza became choirmaster of Caracas Cathedral and a music professor at the Escuela Nacional de Música. Eventually, he was appointed Director of Culture in the Ministry of Education where he was better able to facilitate increased access to the arts across the country and promote music education.

Antônio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994)

Brazilian composer and songwriter Antônio Carlos Jobim is best known for his soft and sophisticated style which ultimately manifested in the formation of bossa nova. As a young, developing musician, Jobim was influenced by the music of fellow Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos. Despite showing substantial promise at the piano as a teenager, Jobim initially chose to pursue a career in architecture. It didn’t take long for him to become disenchanted with his choice, ultimately returning to music. He started off working in clubs performing both his own compositions and arrangements of existing songs. Jobim made his way into the recording industry and began a series of important musical collaborations. Hits such as “Desafinado” and “The Girl from Ipanema” made Jobim a household name around the world.     

Sonia Ivette Morales-Matos (b. 1961)

Originally from Puerto Rico, Sonia Morales-Matos is a composer, performer, and educator currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The recipient of many impressive accolades, Morales-Matos has already been identified as one of the most promising contemporary composers from Latin America. Having received degrees in both jazz studies and composition, her music spans multiple genres and styles, including Latin-tropical, jazz, pop, sacred, choral, and classical.

Growing up, Morales-Matos and her five siblings all played instruments—she continues to collaborate with several of her siblings on new musical works. Fun fact: Her brother, Jesús Morales, is the cellist for the Dalí Quartet, a performing ensemble that has commissioned works by Morales-Matos.

J. P. Jofre (b. 1983)

Grammy-nominated Argentinian composer and bandoneonist Juan Pablo (J. P.) Jofre grew up immersed in music. His exposure to a wide variety of musical styles, from heavy metal to opera, helped shape his own unique musical language. However, no composer influenced the young musician more than Astor Piazzolla, whose music swayed Jofre to learn the bandoneon. As a recipient of the National Prize of the Arts grant in Argentina, Jofre has collaborated with well-known musicians from various musical styles, including classical, jazz, and Latin. His music for the concert hall is breaking down barriers by introducing unusual ensembles and pairings, such as his two (!) double concerti for violin and bandoneon.

To keep learning about Hispanic and Latino composers, check out these posts from the arts blog:

• National Hispanic Heritage Month (2019)
• Hispanic Composers in America (2021)

All Classical Radio’s “Music Heals” campaign is a community effort to celebrate the power of healing through music. The station invited musicians, conductors, music and art therapy professionals, and more to share their Healing Notes: reflections on their experiences with healing music. Keep reading to learn about our special guests and listen to interviews on demand. 

You can help keep the healing going.

Listener support makes everything we do at All Classical Radio possible, from daily handcrafted playlists to special guest appearances that share a behind-the-scenes look into the music you love. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today to ensure continued access to All Classical Radio’s community-funded service. We hope you will share your story of healing when you get in touch.

Naomi LaViolette

Naomi LaViolette is a versatile composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter whose music is not only influenced by her classical education but also by her study of jazz, folk songs, soul, pop, and gospel. As a singer, Naomi attributes songwriting in her early 20s as a way to process strong emotions and experiences. With four albums of original music under her belt and many more singles, Naomi writes songs filled “with the stories, emotions, celebrations, and struggles of what it means to be human.”

Under the artist name Lucente Skye, Naomi writes works for solo piano that assist in mindfulness and meditation. With song names such as “Hope,” “Discovering Peace,” and “Now,” Naomi is helping listeners incorporate more calm and peace in their daily lives.

Listen to Naomi’s conversation on air with Christa Wessel (9/6/24):

David Danzmayr

David Danzmayr is widely considered one of his generation’s most dynamic and exciting conductors. Having served as Music Director of the Oregon Symphony since 2021, David is no stranger to All Classical’s local listeners. As Music Director, David has made a name for himself as a force of positivity and adventurousness. His programming is diverse and collaborative, with a particular focus on access to education and building community around the arts. Mixing European and American standards with a steady stream of new works and pieces by historically overlooked composers, David is influencing the future of concert programming from the heart of Portland.

In addition to his work with the Oregon Symphony, David leads the versatile ProMusica Chamber Orchestra Columbus and holds the title of Honorary Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.

Listen to David’s conversation on air with Brandi Parisi (9/9/24):

Elaina Stuppler

Elaina Stuppler is an award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist who, despite her young age, already has an extraordinary list of commissions, premieres, and accolades under her belt. Currently serving as All Classical’s Young Artist in Residence and Co-Principal Trombonist for Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP), Elaina is making a name for herself regionally and around the world. Elaina’s passion for music is inspired by her desire to share her love of the art form with the wider community and form opportunities for connection. When asked about her process for composing, Elaina noted, “What I enjoy most about composing is that it is a creative sanctuary that allows me to channel my emotions through music.”

Listen to Elaina’s conversation on air with Christa Wessel (9/10/24):

Dr. Larry Sherman

Dr. Larry Sherman is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and serves on multiple national and international scientific panels. Dr. Sherman’s research on brain development and neurodegenerative diseases has been printed in over 100 publications. As a public speaker, one of his most sought-after topics of discussion is the neuroscience of music, which was expanded upon even further in his book (co-authored with Dennis Plies), Every Brain Needs Music: The Neuroscience of Making and Listening to Music. As music and art programs continue to get cut from educational institutions, Dr. Sherman is using his research to verify the importance of music and other creative endeavors to human brain development, brain aging, and overall human well-being.

Listen to Dr. Sherman’s conversation on air with Suzanne Nance (9/11/24):

Ethan Sperry

Ethan Sperry is a renowned choral conductor responsible for bringing Portland State’s Chamber Choir to international renown. As Director of Choral Activities at PSU and Artistic Director and Conductor of the distinguished Oregon Repertory Singers, Ethan’s leadership promotes the power of artistic collaboration to make a positive impact on the community. He believes in music’s ability to capture essential human experiences and bring them to life for listeners. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that Ethan has transformed the way local audiences feel about choral music—his performances are often noted as exhilarating and meaningful.

In addition to having recorded several award-winning albums, Ethan is a prolific arranger of World Music for Choir and a frequent collaborator with film composer AR Rahman.

Listen to Ethan’s conversation on air with Brandi Parisi (9/11/24):

Anna Schaum

Anna Schaum is a violist, mental health specialist, and founder/ proprietor of The Center for Sound Relationships, an organization that creates generative community through events that foster sound personal, professional, and societal relationships. Through her work, she uses music to help groups come together into community. Anna specializes in personal growth and views the human condition “as a giant opportunity to keep expanding awareness and exercising creativity to meet challenges.”

Listen to Anna’s interview, produced by Lisa Lipton and Christa Wessel (9/12/24):

Kenji Bunch

Kenji Bunch is a composer, violist, and educator whose music transcends cultural or generational barriers and inspires empathetic connections with his listeners. As one of the most frequently performed composers of the Pacific Northwest, Kenji writes music to entertain, inspire, and facilitate healing. In collaboration with George Takei, Kenji created Lost Freedom: A Memory, interweaving music with Takei’s narration of his WWII-era childhood incarceration. Through this experience, Kenji learned “the potential of using music as a healing force.” Kenji co-directs Portland-based chamber music ensemble Fear No Music with his wife, pianist Monica Ohuchi, with the mission to make classical music more accessible.

In addition to his work as a composer and performer, Kenji teaches at PSU, Reed College, and for Portland Youth Philharmonic.

Listen to Kenji’s conversation on air with Christa Wessel (9/12/24):

Todd Lawrence

Todd Lawrence has been working in non-profit organizations for over 25 years, including as Volunteer Program Administrator for Housecall Providers, an institution providing primary care medical services and hospice to our community’s homebound and chronically ill members. Todd also serves as a board member of the Portland-area Swan Songs, an organization providing private live music concerts for individuals with a terminal illness or nearing the end of life. In addition to his hospice career, Todd has spent his life in music as a songwriter and recording artist under the pseudonym Milo Binder.

Listen to Todd’s conversation on air with Christa Wessel (9/13/24):  

Maggie Johnson

Maggie Johnson is an Oregon Licensed and Board Certified Music Therapist and currently serves as Program Director for Earthtones Northwest. She is also the lead music therapist for the Oregon Symphony’s Music Now program, bringing symphony musicians to dementia care communities for fun and interactive performances. Maggie’s clinical focus is on relational-based music therapy for groups and individuals experiencing isolation or marginalization due to health and/ or societal barriers. Through her work, Maggie promotes the power of music to help people experience the full range of human emotions and connect with a sense of peace, wonder, and excitement.

In addition to her work with Earthtones and the OSO, Maggie facilitates drop-in music therapy classes for babies, toddlers, and young children and their families called Birdie Beats.

Listen to Maggie’s conversation on air with Brandi Parisi (9/13/24):

María García

Puerto Rican native María García is a distinguished pianist, teacher, and coach, as well as All Classical Radio’s 2022-2023 Artist in Residence. In addition to her work as a sought-after collaborator and music teacher, María performs with regional ensembles such as the Oregon Symphony, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Third Angle Ensemble, and 45^th Parallel Universe, and was a founding member of the Award-winning 20 Digitus Piano Duo. As an educator, she not only instills a love of music in her students but facilitates emotional intelligence and human compassion: “Teaching music is about personal connection and opening a key to another world for students. I hope to pass on how to connect to your emotions, to your culture, and learn about the world and its beauty.”

Listen to María’s conversation on air with Brandi Parisi (9/16/24):

Nancy Ives

Nancy Ives is an exceptionally accomplished composer and cellist, known locally and beyond as an Oregonian legend. She has served as Principal Cellist of the Oregon Symphony for over 20 years. As a composer (and relative of Charles Ives), Nancy creates music deeply inspired by the natural world while also being accessible and relatable without sacrificing depth and complexity. Her collaborative multimedia work Celilo Falls: We Were There evokes the oldest continuously inhabited native community in North America that was ultimately flooded by The Dalles Dam construction in 1957.

In addition to her work as a performer and composer, Nancy is an Instructor of Chamber Music at Lewis & Clark College. She co-founded Classical Up Close, providing greater community access to music by bringing intimate performances to the places where people live, work, and play.

Listen to Nancy’s conversation on air with Christa Wessel (9/16/24):

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month is observed each year in commemoration of the June 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Nationally, Pride Month is observed in June. Locally, the city of Portland celebrates its queer community in July.

In honor of Pride Month, All Classical is shining a spotlight on musicians from the LGBTQI+ community who bring so much beauty and joy to listeners around the world. Join us in celebrating the musical contributions of five extraordinary contemporary LGBTQI+ artists who we love to play on air all year round.

JENNIFER HIGDON

Jennifer Higdon, a Pulitzer Prize and three-time GRAMMY award-winning composer and flutist, has proven herself a major figure in contemporary classical music time and time again. Higdon’s exquisite music encompasses a wide range of genres, from large-scale pieces for orchestra and stage to intimate songs for voice and piano. Among her many accolades, Higdon’s first opera, Cold Mountain, won the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere in 2016 (the first American opera to do so), and her GRAMMY award-winning recording of Percussion Concerto was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2019.

Interestingly, Higdon had a relatively late start to music. At age 15, she taught herself to play flute, and she began formal studies in composition at 21. Nonetheless, Higdon’s path to a career in music has led her to become one of the most influential musical voices of our time. Her music is both distinct and accessible and has been praised as being “imbued with integrity and freshness.”

Together with her wife, Cheryl Lawson, the couple established their own publishing company, Lawdon Publishing (a fun combination of the couple’s last names), through which Higdon publishes all of her musical works. Fun fact – revered conductor Marin Alsop officiated the couple’s marriage in 2014.

CONNOR CHEE

Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee is best known for combining his Western classical training with his Native American heritage. Making his Carnegie Hall debut at just 12 years old after winning the World Piano Competition, Chee is no stranger to the music world. Exposed to traditional Navajo music from a young age, Chee’s classical piano training proved to be a perfect companion for fulfilling the musician’s artistic spirit while also serving as a vehicle to preserve the beloved music of his ancestry.

Chee primarily writes for the piano and incorporates traditional Navajo chants and songs, in addition to piano transcriptions of Navajo music. In fact, writing down music that had previously been exclusively communicated orally was what drew Chee to composition in the first place. Currently based in Phoenix, Chee continues to perform throughout the United States. Several of his studio albums have earned accolades, including Best Instrumental Recording at the 16th Annual Native American Music Awards for The Navajo Piano.

CAROLINE SHAW

Violinist, vocalist, and composer Caroline Shaw is well known to All Classical audiences, as well as countless listeners around the world. The youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Music (she was 30 at the time), as well as the winner of several GRAMMY awards, Shaw has led an impressively prolific career—one that will undoubtedly continue to add meaningful works to the world’s musical vernacular. Her artistic collaborations include classical heavyweights such as Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming, and Davóne Tines, as well as Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía, French music video director Woodkid, and the American rapper Nas, not to mention a long list of films, video games, podcasts, ballets, and more.

Shaw’s music doesn’t adhere to strict genre guidelines but rather crosses over in unexpected ways, both in musical style and artistic collaboration. If you looked up the word “visionary” in the dictionary, Caroline Shaw’s name would come up. According to her official bio, through her music, Shaw is “trying to imagine a world of sound that has never been heard before but has always existed.”

In addition to Shaw’s extraordinary work as a composer, together with her partner Danni Lee, the couple created the band Ringdown, which they describe as “the love child of Johannes Brahms and Brandi Carlile—if they were born in the same century and if Brahms was a queer woman.”

Shaw is one of the 40 trailblazing contemporary artists featured in All Classical’s Artist Anthology. You can read her profile, written by Kristen Millares Young and photographed by Jason Quigley, here.

NICO MUHLY

New York-based composer Nico Muhly is at the forefront of American classical music. Best known for his acclaimed operas, including Two Boys and Marnie (both commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera), Muhly is an incredibly sought-after musical voice. In addition to The Met, Muhly has received commissions from Carnegie Hall, LA Phil, Tallis Scholars, and St. John’s College, Cambridge, among others. Muhly’s musical influences range from American minimalism to the Anglican choral tradition. In addition to writing works for the stage and concert hall, Muhly frequently collaborates with choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Adding to his extensive list of projects, Muhly has also scored several films and TV shows, including the Academy Award-winning The Reader, and the BBC mini-series Howards End.

Muhly is not afraid to address queer subject matter in his music, as seen in the opera, Two Boys, inspired by a true case involving a toxic teenage relationship and its tragic repercussions, and the oratorio Sentences, based on the life of Alan Turing. Rather, he leans into his commitment to spotlighting voices that have been historically underrepresented in classical music.

JIMMIE HERROD

Powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jimmie Herrod exploded onto the musical scene as a finalist on “America’s Got Talent,” and the world has been smitten ever since. Herrod has been a featured soloist with acclaimed orchestras nationwide, including Oregon, San Francisco, and Houston. Perhaps most notably, Herrod was a soloist for the globally televised PBS “Joni Mitchell Songbook” concert at The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, where he shared the stage with Renée Fleming, Lalah Hathaway, Raul Midón, and Aoife O’Donovan.

As a musician, Herrod’s musical style traverses many genres, including jazz, pop, and funk. A longtime resident of Portland, Herrod regularly tours with Pink Martini as a featured vocalist in addition to headlining his own shows. Praised for “a voice like a beacon of hope,” Herrod has a gift for piercing the hearts of his listeners and is changing today’s musical soundscape for the better.

Herrod’s recent program on All Classical Radio with Cédric Hanriot, A New Foray Into Fauré, is available in the Audio Archive until June 24, 2024. Herrod is also one of the 40 trailblazing contemporary artists featured in All Classical’s Artist Anthology. You can read his profile, written by Amber Flame and photographed by Frankie Tresser, here.

RECOMMENDED READING

If you’d like to keep learning, check out these blog posts from All Classical’s Arts Blog:

• Five LGBTQI+ Artists You Need to Know
• Music Exploring Queer Experiences
• Nine Fantastic LGBTQI+ Classical Music Groups in Oregon

Keep reading to learn about six groundbreaking artists we’re featuring on air in celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month.

Kōsaku Yamada (1886-1965)

Japanese composer and conductor Kōsaku Yamada pioneered modern Japanese music influenced by European tradition. After attending the Tokyo Music School, Yamada studied composition at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. Following his education in Germany, Yamada sometimes used the name “Kósçak,” as a variation of his Japanese name, Kōsaku.

As a composer, Yamada was exceptionally prolific and wrote more than 1600 works, including opera, orchestral works, chamber music, and songs. Unfortunately, many of Yamada’s manuscripts were destroyed as a result of an air raid targeting Tokyo in May 1945. Listeners will hear the clear influence of German Romanticism in Yamada’s music; yet, he never lost touch with his Japanese identity. 

Li Huanzhi (1919-2000)

Li Huanzhi has remained a significant figure among Chinese classical composers. Having grown up exposed to a wide variety of music, Li eagerly pursued a career in the art form from his teens. Despite interruptions to his studies due to war and family obligations, Li never strayed far from his desired path. Much of Li’s music was inspired by regional folk songs and nationalist sentiment. Perhaps most notably, following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Li’s “The March of the Volunteers” was chosen as the new National Anthem.

Li wrote hundreds of compositions, from symphonic works and opera to songs and choral pieces. His Spring Festival Overture remains one of the most frequently performed Chinese works for orchestra.

Tōru Takemitsu (1930-1996)

Tōru Takemitsu was a largely self-taught Japanese composer whose music blends modernist Western styles with Japanese traditions and instruments. Takemitsu’s first encounter with Western music came about while serving in the Japanese military during WWII (Western music had been banned in Japan during the war). An officer played the French chanson “Parlez-moi d’amour,” which made a deep impression on Takemitsu and kicked off a lifelong love of music by French composers such as Debussy and Messiaen.

By the late 1950s, Takemitsu’s music began gaining international attention, including one famous incident where Stravinsky heard his Requiem for Strings and subsequently declared it a masterpiece. Also in the 1950s, Takemitsu co-founded the “Experimental Workshop” whose mission was to explore avant-garde multimedia projects.

Chen Gang (b. 1935) & He Zhanhao (b. 1933)

Chen Gang and He Zhanhao are both musicians from China best known for co-composing the Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto. Born in Shanghai, Chen was the son of songwriter Chen Gexin and grew up learning piano and composition from his father. In 1955, Chen began studying composition at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he would eventually meet fellow student He Zhanhao.

He was born in Zhuji and began learning violin at 17 years old. His studies at the Shanghai Conservatory fortuitously overlapped with that of Chen, and the two would soon embark on a life-changing collaboration. In an experiment to adapt Chinese tunes for violin, Chen and He created the Butterfly Lovers’s Concerto, based on a centuries-old Chinese folk tale.

Chen Qigang (b. 1951)

Born in Shanghai, Chen Qigang was introduced to music at an early age. Despite being imprisoned as a young teen amid the Cultural Revolution and undergoing “ideological reeducation,” Chen never lost his passion for creating music. The composer moved to Paris for graduate studies and shortly thereafter began working with Olivier Messiaen. Chen was Messiaen’s last student and studied with the French composer from 1984-88. Messiaen became a committed supporter of Chen’s music and praised Chen’s harmonious union of Asian and Western musical ideas. After receiving a doctorate in musicology from the Sorbonne in 1989, Chen remained in Paris and became a French citizen in 1992.

Chen’s music is performed all over the world, earning the composer countless honors and awards. Fun fact: Chen composed the official theme song of the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing called “You and Me.”

Karen Tanaka (b. 1961)

Japanese composer and pianist Karen Tanaka began formal compositional studies at 10 years old. After receiving her undergraduate degree from the Tōhō Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, Tanaka moved to Paris with the help of a scholarship from the French government to study with Tristan Murail and work at IRCAM. The recipient of several prestigious awards, Tanaka’s beautifully crafted works have been performed by distinguished orchestras all over the world, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Outside the concert hall, Tanaka has also written scores for films and documentaries–her score for Sister was nominated for the 92nd Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film.

In addition to being a freelance composer, Tanaka currently teaches composition and experimental sound practices at the California Institute of the Arts.

Learn More

To keep learning about AANHPI musical artists we love to play on air, check out these posts from the Arts Blog:

• AANHPI Composers We’re Celebrating On Air (2023)
• The Songs of Lili’uokalani, Queen of Hawai’i (2021)

Lastly, you can now listen to All Classical’s recent album release as part of our Recording Inclusivity Project (RII), ELEVATE. This brand-new album featured works by pioneering Japanese composers Nobu Kōda and Yuko Uébayashi.