Jack Straw Artist Support Program

The Bushwick Book Club Seattle is a group of musicians who write and perform original music inspired by literature. They produced a piece of music called “Out Under Diamonds” inspired by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,through their Jack Straw artist residency.

Choroloco is a Seattle based acoustic trio specializing in choro, a highly melodic and rhythmic instrumental form of Brazilian popular music. They play traditional, modern, and original choro in a classic trio formation (7-string guitar, bandolim or cavaquinho, and pandeiro), sometimes augmented with vibraphone. They strive to stay as close to the music’s roots as possible while letting their own experience influence the music.

Artist Support Program 2012: Production of the album Choro Louco.

By the age of nine, Mara Gearman had decided to pursue a career in music. Her training included studies with Roberto Diaz and Karen Tuttle at the Curtis Institute of Music, and Pinchas Zukerman. Gearman has received awards from the Tertis International and Primrose Viola Competitions and has performed solo and chamber music throughout the U.S. and Europe. Currently Third Chair with the Seattle Symphony, Gearman has also worked as Principal Viola for the Kansas City Symphony and Los Angeles Opera. She is violist in the Barston quartet, comprised of colleagues from the Seattle Symphony. Gearman has taught at Central Washington University, Cornish College of the Arts and the Eastern Music Festival. She has recently performed at the Olympic Music Festival, Methow Music Festival and as a member of the All-Star Orchestra.

Artist Support Program 2012: Record the composer Alexander Bishop’s works for viola.

An accomplished chamber musician, Chérie Hughes has performed throughout the United States and Mexico. She is a frequent collaborator with guitarist Roberto Limón, and as the Pacific Duo they have toured throughout Mexico and been featured in recital at the famed Bellas Artes Manuel Ponce Chamber Hall in Mexico City.

Artist Support Program 2012: On My People, a CD of works inspired by the music of Spain and the Sephardic Jewish diaspora, in collaboration with Roberto Limón.

Artist Support Program 2008: The Divan of Moses-Ibn-EzraI, Opus 207, a song cycle for voice and guitar set to poetry by 12th century philosopher Rabbi Moses ben Jacob ibn Ezra, and composed by Jewish Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, in collaboration with Roberto Limón.

Donna Miscolta is the author of three books of fiction: When the de la Cruz Family Danced, Hola and Goodbye: Una Familia in Stories, and Living Color: Angie Rubio Stories. Donna was born in San Diego and grew up in National City, California. She received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from San Diego State and later received master’s degrees in education and public administration from the University of Washington. During the thirty years that she worked as a project manager in local government, she took classes and workshops in fiction writing. She lives in Seattle. Donna was a Jack Straw Writer in 1997, and the curator of the 2009 Jack Straw Writers Program.

2012 Artist Support Program: Produce audio excerpts from her novel When the de la Cruz Family Danced.

2009 Writers Program (Curator)

1997 Writers Program

William Chapman Nyaho, a Ghanaian American and resident of Seattle, studied at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University (UK), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at the Honour School of Music. He continued his piano studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve, Switzerland, the Eastman School of Music where he graduated with his Master of Music degree, and at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Chapman Nyaho is the recipient of prizes from international piano competitions.

Following four years as a North Carolina Visiting Artist, Chapman Nyaho taught at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and was the recipient of the Distinguished Professor Award and held the Heymann Endowed Professorship. He was also the recipient of the Acadiana Arts Council Distinguished Artist Award. Chapman Nyaho has also recently served as Visiting Professor of Music at Colby College in Maine and Visiting Artist at Willamette University in Oregon. His summer teaching appointments include Interlochen Summer Arts Camp and Adamant Music School.

As a regular guest clinician, Chapman Nyaho gives lecture-recitals and workshops advocating music by composers of the African heritage. He has compiled and edited a five-volume graded anthology Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, published by Oxford University Press. A first of its kind, this is intended to expand the performing repertoire of students and concert pianists, and also to supplement college keyboard literature courses.

He has served on national committees for the Music Teachers’ National Association, College Music Society and the National Endowment for the Arts and been a juror for competitions in the North America, Europe and Africa.

Chapman Nyaho’s performances have taken him to Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and North America, including Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center. He performs as soloist with various orchestras, including the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. Chapman Nyaho has been featured on radio and television broadcasts in Ghana, Switzerland, and on Performance Today on NPR. He also developed and hosted The Bach Show for classical radio station KRVS in Louisiana. His piano duo, the Nyaho/Garcia Duo, has released the critically acclaimed CD Aaron Copland: Music For Two Pianos on the Centaur Label.

Music from Chapman Nyaho’s solo CD SENKU: Piano Music by Composers of African Descent, a ground-breaking compilations of music of the African Diaspora, was recently choreographed by the Tony Award winning Garth Fagan. Senku was named one of the “Best of the Year” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, which called it “altogether enthralling . . . this music deserves a regular place on concert programs.” Gramophone Magazine said, “Nyaho’s gripping performances kept my ears glued to this disc . . . Let’s hope the pianist continues to explore and record more such commanding repertoire.” Dr. Maya Angelou wrote that it holds “moments of discovery so delicious that the listeners will be made to laugh out loud and to compliment not just Dr. Chapman Nyaho, but themselves at their good fortune in finding these composers and this pianist.” Chapman Nyaho’s most recent solo CD, ASA: Piano Music by Composers of African Descent, was released in Summer 2008 on the MSR Classics Label.

Artist Support Program 2012: Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora (MRS Classics, 2020)

Tom Varner is internationally known as one of the top living pioneers of jazz/improvised/new music on the French horn and as an inventive, witty, and passionate composer for his different ensembles, which have featured, over the years, such players as Steve Wilson, Tony Malaby, Lee Konitz, Mark Feldman, Kenny Barron, Cameron Brown, Billy Hart, Tom Rainey, and Matt Wilson.  Tom’s recent Seattle nonet project, Nine Surprises, was released in 2014.  Tom has been awarded residencies at the MacDowell and Blue Mountain arts colonies and grants from the NEA, Doris Duke Foundation/Chamber Music America, and the Jack Straw Center. Tom has 14 recordings as a leader and plays on over 70 others, such as with Steve Lacy and John Zorn.

After living in New York City for 26 years, Tom moved with his family to Seattle in fall 2005.  Since his move, he has played at the Vancouver, Earshot, and Bumbershoot festivals, the Good Shepherd Center, the Seattle Art Museum, and at the Royal Room and Tula’s as a leader and sideman alongside many Seattle greats such as Mark Taylor, Hans Teuber, Wayne Horvitz, Kate Olson, Neil Welch, Thomas Marriott, and Jim Knapp. Tom is also an Associate Professor of Music at Cornish College of the Arts.

Artist Support Program 2019: A meditative sound collaboration with the “Sound Vespers” Mixed Ensemble, featuring four field recording artists, five trumpets, French horn, trombone, and percussion.

Artist Support Program 2012: Nine Surprises, a new original work for an improvising nine-piece ensemble.

Artist Support Program 2007: Heaven and Hell, an album of classical chamber and jazz compositions for double-quintet featuring French horn.

Classically trained since the age of nine, Paul played bluegrass, hoedowns, western swing and swing at an early age. He met and studied with the great jazz violinist Joe Venuti, performed regularly with him on stage, and was the only student ever invited to study at Venuti’s home in Seattle. Today he is considered one of the foremost authorities on Venuti’s approach to jazz violin.

From the mid-1970s to the mid-’80s Paul played professionally in the bands of Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel, Larry Gatlin, and Loretta Lynn, performing in all fifty states, and logging over a million miles on band buses.

Paul first heard the Mexican violin genius Juan Reynoso at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in 1996. Moved to tears, he fell hopelessly in love with his music. The following year, he began the first of over twenty trips to the Hot Lands to study and record Juan’s music. Juan passed away at the ripe old age of 93 in 2007, but not before he recorded 2000 hours of lessons and transcribed 500 pieces. In addition to Juan Reynoso, Paul studied with a number of other Tierra Caliente maestros and acquired major archives of written music from the region.

Paul is Review Editor and writes a regular column for Fiddler Magazine. He is in great demand as an instructor at summer music camps throughout the U.S. and Canada, and teaches privately as well.

Artist Support Program 2012: Record a CD of the music of Mexico’s Tierra Caliente del Balsas with accompanying Finale transcriptions for teachers and players.

Vicki is an active and passionate performer of all styles of music and plays all sizes of recorders. Her travels and performances have taken her across the United States as well as Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, England, Scotland and Germany.

In the Pacific Northwest, Vicki is a returning soloist with the Seattle Baroque Orchestra and has performed with the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Portland Opera and Philharmonia Northwest Orchestra. She is a regular guest with the Medieval Women’s Choir led by Margriet Tindemans and the Gallery Concerts Series.

She is the new Artistic Director for the Port Townsend Early Music Workshop and is the Music Director for the Portland Recorder Society. Vicki has been on the faculty of the Music Center of the Northwest in Seattle since 2005, and with colleague, Darlene Franz, is the resident recorder teacher for the 3rd grade recorder program at West Woodland Elementary. She is also on the faculty for the newly launched early music program at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

Vicki taught at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen for 12 years, and at the Ishøj Municipal School of Music for 23 years. She co-founded a regional recorder youth orchestra which continues to flourish and grow in Denmark. Her students from the Royal Academy are all now professional performers and teachers passing on the tradition. She was also co-founder of two Danish-based ensembles: Opus 4, and Wood’N’Flutes and continues to perform with both of these ensembles as often as she can in spite of the geography.

Artist Assistance Program 2012

Artist Support Program 2009 : Recorded an album of six sonatas by the Italian Baroque composer, Francesco Barsanti with Ensemble Electra.

As a performer on lute, theorbo and Baroque guitar, August Denhard has appeared with Baroque Northwest, Seattle Baroque, the Concord Ensemble, Chicago Music of the Baroque, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Camarata Pacifica Baroque, and many other ensembles specializing in early music. He is an accompanist/coach for 16th and 17th century song at Ars Vocalis Mexico in Morelia, Michoacan.

Gus has given numerous solo recitals and is in demand as an accompanist of 17th century vocal music. He performs regularly in a lute song duo with tenor Eric Mentzel, with the Turkish udist/composer, Münir Nurettin Beken, and with the Japanese kugo harpist Tomoko Sugawara.

In addition to his activities as a performer, August Denhard is the Executive Director of Early Music Seattle, the Pacific Northwest’s oldest and largest presenter of early music.

Artist Support Program 2024 (with Trio Guadalevin): El Noroeste – A Musical Portrait of Washington’s Latinx  Communities Past & Present

Artist Support Program 2012 (with Eric Mentzel): The English Cavalier Songs, a program of duets for lute and tenor.

Artist Support Program 2008 (with Münir Nurettin Beken): A Meeting Place: Medieval and Renaissance Music for Lute and Ud

Artist Support Program 2002: Cusp of the Baroque, a CD of works for solo lute.

Cassidy Dimon is a photographer and filmmaker from New York, now residing in Los Angeles (via Seattle). She worked for four years as the Acquisitions, Festival & Education Coordinator for the film distributor Film Movement, where she actively assisted in film acquisition and was responsible for the non-theatrical distribution of over 100 films. She worked as a Producer at the Last Quest, which partnered with the Common Language project to produce the feature film Barzan. Her short film “Woman Seeks Man for Date on Friday” premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Artist Support Program 2012: Audio support for the documentary feature film Barzan.

Dunava is a Seattle-based women’s vocal ensemble specializing in the acappella folk music of Eastern Europe. Founded in 2005, Dunava is made up of singers from diverse musical backgrounds who all share a passion for complex and beautiful harmonies, and for learning about and performing these musical traditions authentically.

Dunava is affiliated with the Radost Folk Ensemble, and has performed at Northwest Folklife Festival, Croatia Fest, the Seattle Folklore Society concert series, the Seattle Art Museum, and at Seattle Town Hall. In 2014 Dunava was the first American group to participate in the international Silver Buckle folk festival in Kjustendil, Bulgaria. Dunava has released two CDs, Dunava (2009) and Bulgaria (2013).

Artist Support Program 2012: Bulgaria, an album of traditional and modern Bulgarian music.

Tina Hoggatt is a studio and public artist as well as a writer. Her public artwork springs from the studio work, and methods she has used to create site-specific artwork have made their way into the studio. She has an enduring love of works on paper and is currently working in porcelain enamel on steel, with the assistance of enamelist Dave Berfield.

Artist Support Program 2012

Nichole Rathburn is a Seattle-based animator, sculptor, instructor and freelancer.

Artist Support Program 2012: Create the soundtrack for 1000 Ports, a four-channel animation piece on view at 4Culture’s E4C media gallery from June 2012 through June 2013.

1000 Ports from Nichole Rathburn on Vimeo.

The members of Recess Monkey are three teachers who make kid’s music that grows out of their days in their classrooms. They continue to be praised across the country for singable, danceable songs that parents enjoy as much as their kids.

Praised by People, Time, USA Today, The New York Times and NPR for their pitch-perfect understanding of what gets kids excited, Recess Monkey is known for prolific album output, high-energy shows and laugh-out-loud funny lyrics that capture the essence of being young. They drink a lot of coffee. Recess Monkey has earned dozens of awards over its long history. Their 2016 Amazon Original Family album Novelites was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Children’s Album.

Known for prolific, eclectic musical output and their contagiously exciting live shows, Recess Monkey strives to strike a balance between kid-centric ideas and musical authenticity. Lyrically, they weave jokes and puns together with universal childhood themes, speaking to both kids and their parents simultaneously with catchy, melodic songs. Seamlessly meshing their indie-rock roots with their keen awareness of childhood themes, the band continues to make waves coast to coast.

Artist Support Program 2012: Create an interactive musical bingo-style game.

Mark Roberts plays traditional music on the flute, tin whistle, 5-string banjo and bouzouki and have had a long and varied career in music. he has toured and recorded with the seminal band Touchstone, played the banjo with the Red Clay Ramblers on Broadway in the show “Fool Moon”, and his flute and pennywhistle can be heard in the Jon Salyes film “The Secret of Roan Innish”.

Dan Compton is a multi-instrumentalist performer and teacher with a deep knowledge of traditional folk music. He specializes in strings – guitar, fiddle, mandolin, octave mandolin, and tenor banjo – as well as C#/D Irish-style button accordion.

Artist Support Program 2012: Production of The High Caul Cap, a duo CD of traditional instrumentals.

John Teske is a composer, improviser, and double bassist. John composes chamber music for strings and mixed ensembles, often incorporating non-traditional techniques, notation, and elements of improvisation. He received his BM in Music Composition from the University of Washington where he studied with Joël-François Durand, Juan Pampin, and Josh Parmenter.

Artist Support Program 2012: Record recent compositions for double-bass and other instruments.

facets from John Teske on Vimeo.