Joanie Calem Joanie Calem began her performing career in Israel in 1983, singing folksongs in Hebrew, Ladino, Yiddish, Arabic and English, and telling Middle Eastern folk stories for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. She simultaneously worked for local NGOs supporting Jewish-Arab rapprochement and often used her music in her…
Theresa Koon Theresa Koon’s career began as a singer, pianist and composer-arranger, performing in wide-ranging styles from Classical to Cabaret to Crossover Music. Highlights included Counter-culture Vaudeville Shows, touring with The Flying Karamozov Brothers, Jim Page, Faith Petric, dADa, and others, alongside straight gigs with Portland Opera, Arizona Opera, Oregon…
Rena Branson Rena Branson (they/them) is a Jewish composer, ritual leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song. They founded A Queer Nigun Project (aqueernigunproject.org), which organizes singing events for LGBTQIA+ folks and sends audio content to people in the Jewish community who are incarcerated. Rena writes…
Sarah-Anjali Arabolu Sarah-Anjali is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter, who is embracing the power of music as a guiding force. Shaped by the empowering, unifying, and improvisational spirit of jazz, folk, and world music – Sarah-Anjali's intention is to offer insight on how we can heal. For Sarah-Anjali, music is…
Rachel Dungan Rachel Dungan is a musician, composer, and curator at the intersection of sound, storytelling, and social impact. A classically-trained pianist and solo/ensemble vocalist, she performs nationally and internationally with various groups (Essence of Joy Alumni Singers, Urban Jazz, the Philadelphia Singers, Shades of Blue, CANTATICA, Centre Dimensions). She…
Kennedy Pugh Kennedy Pugh is founder of Music for the Cause, a mission‑driven music collective that began as a grassroots effort to spotlight suicide prevention and has since evolved into a powerful amplifier for health equity and social‑justice issues affecting communities of color. Blending soulful performance, personal storytelling, and collaborative…
DeShaun Gordon-King Known for his soulful tone and mesmerizing phrasing, Trevor James Alto Flute Artist Díjí Kay (née DeShaun Gordon-King) has given performances as a soloist and principal flute in Europe, Asia, and throughout the United States. Díjí Kay grew up surrounded by griot traditions, jazz and gospel music. Inspired…
Shakeenah Fentis Shakeenah is a grandmother and long-time NW Arkansas resident. She grew up in NY, singing from age four and attending extensive creative arts classes, including musicals, dance and drama with The Harlem Children’s Theatre Co. and The Henry Street Settlement House. After high school and a year of…
Beth Watts Nelson Beth Watts Nelson is a Kansas City based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and lifelong student of music. In addition to solo performances, she can be heard in several projects throughout the KC area including Konza Swamp Band, CATGUT, Cee Dee Vee, and her latest endeavor, Little Miss Dynamite. Building…
Leta Neustaedter Leta Harris Neustaedter has been performing in the Treasure Valley for decades. Her first gig was with a punk band named The Gargoyles, in the basement of a house where all the misfits congregated. She was the angsty teenage singer and wrote lyrics about death, anger and pain.…
