SongFest

06/23/2021

We are so thankful to the SongFest Alumni and Friends who offered their artistry for today’s Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: The Poetry and Song of AFRICA!

Our video celebrates works from Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, São Tomé & Príncipe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt. Watch here: https://youtu.be/pTzkPs_OfiA

Head over to our website and discover the re-launch of our project Songs of Unity & Hope. Filled with contributions from over 200 artists, you can now watch all the newly edited videos here: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live
Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Many thanks to: Pierre-André Doucet, Ab Le, Legon Palmwine Band, @Estêvãofilipechissano, Bronwen Forbay, LeOui Rendsburg, Mikey Pandya, Márcia Massicame,
U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, Hadia Kamal, Jeremy Hirsch, Loralee Songer, Pia Davila, Holden Turner and Shawn E. Okpebholo

We are so thankful to the SongFest Alumni and Friends who offered their artistry for today’s Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: The Poetry and Song of AFRICA!

Our video celebrates works from Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, São Tomé & Príncipe, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt. Watch here: https://youtu.be/pTzkPs_OfiA

Head over to our website and discover the re-launch of our project Songs of Unity & Hope. Filled with contributions from over 200 artists, you can now watch all the newly edited videos here: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live
Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Many thanks to: Pierre-André Doucet, Ab Le, Legon Palmwine Band, @Estêvãofilipechissano, Bronwen Forbay, LeOui Rendsburg, Mikey Pandya, Márcia Massicame,
U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo, Hadia Kamal, Jeremy Hirsch, Loralee Songer, Pia Davila, Holden Turner and Shawn E. Okpebholo

06/19/2021

SONGFEST! Maria was a finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the YEAR

SongFest Alum MARIA BREA: finalist in theBBC Cardiff Singer of the year!!!!! Listen to her sing this gorgeous Lullaby "Arrunango" ! from the " Songs of Unity and Hope! Around the world in Song- many more like this songfest.us/sf25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXIQW6QTkUs&list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ&index=11&t=1589s

06/17/2021

Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: Poetry and Song of VENEZUELA!

Listen to soprano Maria Brea (SF’19) and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa (SF’17) performing “Arrunango,” (an indigenous lullaby) by Héctor Guillermo Villalobos. The poem is beautifully read by Carlos Arcos (SF’19). Watch here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=1576

Head over to our website and discover the re-launch of our project, Songs of Unity & Hope. Filled with contributions from over 200 artists, you can now watch all the newly edited videos here: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: Poetry and Song of VENEZUELA!

Listen to soprano Maria Brea (SF’19) and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa (SF’17) performing “Arrunango,” (an indigenous lullaby) by Héctor Guillermo Villalobos. The poem is beautifully read by Carlos Arcos (SF’19). Watch here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=1576

Head over to our website and discover the re-launch of our project, Songs of Unity & Hope. Filled with contributions from over 200 artists, you can now watch all the newly edited videos here: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

06/14/2021

Here comes another Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: A poem by David Whyte, “Everything is Waiting for You”

Whyte’s poem is a bittersweet reminder of all the hidden valuable moments in our everyday life connections--both seen and unseen. SongFest Alumna, Pamela Terry‘06 recited this inspiring text for our project. Listen here: https://youtu.be/2YOkrlHP6TU?t=3429

Have you checked out the re-launch of SongFest’s project Songs of Unity & Hope? This project is filled with over 200 artists and their moving performances of music and poetry, as well as panel discussions outlining a variety of aspects within the art song world. Watch all the newly edited videos on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Here comes another Songs of Unity & Hope SPOTLIGHT: A poem by David Whyte, “Everything is Waiting for You”

Whyte’s poem is a bittersweet reminder of all the hidden valuable moments in our everyday life connections--both seen and unseen. SongFest Alumna, Pamela Terry‘06 recited this inspiring text for our project. Listen here: https://youtu.be/2YOkrlHP6TU?t=3429

Have you checked out the re-launch of SongFest’s project Songs of Unity & Hope? This project is filled with over 200 artists and their moving performances of music and poetry, as well as panel discussions outlining a variety of aspects within the art song world. Watch all the newly edited videos on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

06/11/2021

Songs of Unity & Hope Poetry Spotlight: “A Brave and Startling Truth.” This STUNNING poem by Maya Angelou was composed for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995.

Listen to SongFest Faculty and Alumni’s recitation of her inspiring words here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=6824
with Jean Bernard Cerin (SF ‘10), Grant Knox (SF Faculty, SF’12), Katherine Jolly (SF Faculty, SF’16), Nicole Leung (SF ‘16, ‘19) and Alexandra Smither, Soprano (SF ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘17)

Have you checked out the re-launch of SongFest’s project, Songs of Unity & Hope? This project is filled with over 200 artists and their moving performances of music and poetry, as well as panel discussions outlining a variety of aspects within the art song world. Watch all the newly edited videos for FREE on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Songs of Unity & Hope Poetry Spotlight: “A Brave and Startling Truth.” This STUNNING poem by Maya Angelou was composed for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995.

Listen to SongFest Faculty and Alumni’s recitation of her inspiring words here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=6824
with Jean Bernard Cerin (SF ‘10), Grant Knox (SF Faculty, SF’12), Katherine Jolly (SF Faculty, SF’16), Nicole Leung (SF ‘16, ‘19) and Alexandra Smither, Soprano (SF ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘17)

Have you checked out the re-launch of SongFest’s project, Songs of Unity & Hope? This project is filled with over 200 artists and their moving performances of music and poetry, as well as panel discussions outlining a variety of aspects within the art song world. Watch all the newly edited videos for FREE on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or view our YouTube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

06/08/2021

Our Songs of Unity & Hope Project NOW available for all to view for FREE on our website!

Today we feature poet Naomi Shihab Nye reading her beloved poem, “Kindness.” Listen/Watch here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=4380

Soprano Diana Newman, SongFest Alumna (‘08 and ‘11), will premiere Alan Louis Smith’s setting of Nye’s text next summer at SongFest 2022!

View the ENTIRE, newly edited, project at your leisure on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or stream all of the content on our Youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

Our Songs of Unity & Hope Project NOW available for all to view for FREE on our website!

Today we feature poet Naomi Shihab Nye reading her beloved poem, “Kindness.” Listen/Watch here: https://youtu.be/gXIQW6QTkUs?t=4380

Soprano Diana Newman, SongFest Alumna (‘08 and ‘11), will premiere Alan Louis Smith’s setting of Nye’s text next summer at SongFest 2022!

View the ENTIRE, newly edited, project at your leisure on our website: https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

Or stream all of the content on our Youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

06/04/2021

We have relaunched our Songs of Unity & Hope project and invite you to watch in it's entirety, for FREE, on our website: https://www.songfest.us/sf25

We love this performance of Poulenc's "Priez pour paix" featuring many of Songfest's alumni!

Text is read by Francois Le Roux and performed by Tyrese Byrd, Sophie Carpenter, Dominie G Boutin, Philip Barsky, John Potvin, Mishael Jedidiah Eusebio, Alexandra Bass, Nate Malkow, Sophia Hunt, Olivia Prendergast, Erin Wagner, Benjamin Howard, Nicole Leung, Georgia Evangelina Jacobson with Javier Arrebola, piano. Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/2YOkrlHP6TU?t=703

Link to entire playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

We have relaunched our Songs of Unity & Hope project and invite you to watch in it's entirety, for FREE, on our website: https://www.songfest.us/sf25

We love this performance of Poulenc's "Priez pour paix" featuring many of Songfest's alumni!

Text is read by Francois Le Roux and performed by Tyrese Byrd, Sophie Carpenter, Dominie G Boutin, Philip Barsky, John Potvin, Mishael Jedidiah Eusebio, Alexandra Bass, Nate Malkow, Sophia Hunt, Olivia Prendergast, Erin Wagner, Benjamin Howard, Nicole Leung, Georgia Evangelina Jacobson with Javier Arrebola, piano. Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/2YOkrlHP6TU?t=703

Link to entire playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

06/02/2021

SongFest 25th Anniversary Celebration - Songs of Unity & Hope

SONGFEST: ARMENIA

What a gorgeous piece " Oror" Armenian Lullaby sung by Songfest alumni Natalie Buickians for "SONGS of UNITY and HOPE" Text read in Armenian by Natalie and another poem read by Armen Guzelimian

So many beautiful moments in this 15 hour video, celebrating SONG and poetry by Alumni, guests, faculty from 40 country and 25 languages.
THIS IS FREE: go to www.songfest.us/sf25 to watch the video and accompanying beautiful Program Book by Jackie Stevens!!
Here is the playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpQlYMdO_nSWp-2wTfFijmFRkubm5ugMZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPD5C4aKhZk

Songs of Unity & Hope is a celebration of the human spirit expressed through the artistry of over 200 musicians and poets. Join us as we journey through this...

05/31/2021

SongFest Re-Launches “Songs of Unity & Hope”

To celebrate SongFest’s 25th Anniversary, we curated a day of song that includes 6 artist panel videos in which various aspects of song in today’s world are discussed, as well as 5 videos of musical performances and poetry readings that represent repertoire from 5 different continents. Our global SongFest is NOW available for all to view for FREE!

Visit our website to watch: https://www.songfest.us/sf25

#songfest #teamartsong #songsofunityandhope #songfest25thanniversary #silveranniversary #globalsongfest

SongFest Re-Launches “Songs of Unity & Hope”

To celebrate SongFest’s 25th Anniversary, we curated a day of song that includes 6 artist panel videos in which various aspects of song in today’s world are discussed, as well as 5 videos of musical performances and poetry readings that represent repertoire from 5 different continents. Our global SongFest is NOW available for all to view for FREE!

Visit our website to watch: https://www.songfest.us/sf25

#songfest #teamartsong #songsofunityandhope #songfest25thanniversary #silveranniversary #globalsongfest

05/30/2021

SF25 - Songs of Unity & Hope - Trailer

Did you miss the launch of SongFest’s global day of song on January 31st? Not to worry! Our 15-hour virtual musical event exploring the songs and poetry of more than 60 countries, 5 continents and 40 languages around the world along with panel discussions by leaders in our field is NOW available for all to view for FREE on our website as of June 1, 2021! You do not want to miss this event celebrating 25 years of educating the next generation of song performers.
https://www.songfest.us/songfest-25-anniversary-live

#songfest #teamartsong #songsofunityandhope #songfest25thanniversary #silveranniversary #globalsongfest
https://youtu.be/vl4G0MmrXlo

Download our interactive program book and read more about this project at https://www.songfest.us/sf25Songs of Unity & Hope is our gift to you, but if you fe...

05/29/2021

Congratulations to SongFest Alums mezzo soprano, Erin Wagner and pianist, Shawn Chang. This duo won First Prize in the 2021 Naumberg Foundation Vocal Competition this week!! 🥂🍾🎉

Congratulations to SongFest Alums mezzo soprano, Erin Wagner and pianist, Shawn Chang. This duo won First Prize in the 2021 Naumberg Foundation Vocal Competition this week!! 🥂🍾🎉

05/24/2021

Congratulations to SongFest 2018 alumna Elizabeth Gartman!!

Our friends at Beth Morrison Projects will be welcoming their 'Next Gen' of new music creators to National Sawdust and Elizabeth is a finalist!

Hear her work in this FREE performance, flimed live at National Sawdust on May 27th at 7.30pm at https://www.bethmorrisonprojects.org/next-generation-2021

SongFest will be watching - won't you join us?

Congratulations to SongFest 2018 alumna Elizabeth Gartman!!

Our friends at Beth Morrison Projects will be welcoming their 'Next Gen' of new music creators to National Sawdust and Elizabeth is a finalist!

Hear her work in this FREE performance, flimed live at National Sawdust on May 27th at 7.30pm at https://www.bethmorrisonprojects.org/next-generation-2021

SongFest will be watching - won't you join us?

04/28/2021

Shadow Memory by James Primosch

A bright light has gone out and our SongFest family is heartbroken by news of the loss of generous colleague and friend, composer Jim Primosch.

In 2015, we commissioned Jim to write a song in memory of Marcia Brown. With love we share his haunting song, "Shadow Memory" with text by Susan Orlean, and send our deepest condolences to everyone mourning this deep loss.

"So this is what's left behind, these things that end up as our real inheritance -- the flotsam and jetsam of life, the stuff that drifts into our hands and into history, the chance impression, the little shadow each of us casts, the fragile thing someone carefully catalogues and cares for and then forgets or maybe doesn't, the image of an image that conjures a memory that is either real or imagined -- these are here, plucked and pressed between the pages, so they will stay fresh forever, or forever slip away." Susan Orlean

02/06/2021

SongFest 25 Anniversary Celebration - Songs of Unity & Hope

songfest.us/sf25

02/01/2021

Songs of Unity and Hope is a celebration of the human spirit expressed through the artistry of over 200 musicians and poets. Join us as we journey all day through this global ‘SongFest’ celebrating our 25th Anniversary with poetry, discussion, and song from around the world. Launched on Schubert’s birthday and in celebration of 25 years of SongFest, this is our gift to all of the students, alumni, faculty members, audience members, and song-lovers who have been part of our family for so long. Our celebration will be an all-day event, a curated musical journey shared on our website and social media, beginning at 10 a.m. EST and lasting into the evening. Our message is one of unity and hope, born of a desire to illuminate what keeps us inspired through troubled times.

This is the final stream in our series. We will be putting all of Songs of Unity & Hope up on our website soon!

THE AMERICAS

01/31/2021

SongFest 25 Anniversary Celebration - Songs of Unity & Hope

Songs of Unity and Hope is a celebration of the human spirit expressed through the artistry of over 200 musicians and poets. Join us as we journey all day through this global ‘SongFest’ celebrating our 25th Anniversary with poetry, discussion, and song from around the world. Launched on Schubert’s birthday and in celebration of 25 years of SongFest, this is our gift to all of the students, alumni, faculty members, audience members, and song-lovers who have been part of our family for so long. Our celebration will be an all-day event, a curated musical journey shared on our website and social media, beginning at 10 a.m. EST and lasting into the evening. Our message is one of unity and hope, born of a desire to illuminate what keeps us inspired through troubled times.

This stream is a big one! Containing:

ASIA
The Next Generation of Song
OCEANIA
The SongFest Experience

One final stream for The Americas will air around 11 p.m. EST.