Music of Remembrance

Mission

Music of Remembrance (MOR) is a Seattle-based performing arts organization dedicated to addressing questions of human rights and social justice through the transformative power of music. Established in 1998 with a mission to ensure that voices of witness to the Holocaust be heard, its mission has evolved to explore the resilience of all who have been persecuted or excluded for their faith, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. Over the years, it has demonstrated itself to be a powerful creative catalyst for “testimonies for tomorrow” – persuasive musical works that explore the consequences of intolerance toward the other.

Description

MOR is a thriving and ever-growing organization. Our musical scope has expanded to encompass various chamber ensembles, song cycles, choral works, dance music, film scores, musical dramas and fully staged operas. MOR has performed over 150 works honoring Holocaust-era composers through their art, highlighting their courage to resist and create even in the face of unspeakable cruelty.

Thousands of people have been touched by our online concerts, nine audio CDs, three documentary films, an opera DVD, and outreach programs. Bringing new generations along on MOR’s journey, our annual David Tonkonogui Memorial Award has helped nurture young musicians hoping to address human rights questions through their art.

As Music of Remembrance continues its 25th season, it will perform six concerts in three cities: three in Seattle, one San Francisco and two in Chicago. Additionally, MOR is planning and undertaking long-range projects such as the commission of brilliant new works by some of today’s most talented composers.

Our newest commission is Before it All Goes Dark by the brilliant team of composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer. This one-act opera was inspired by a true story eloquently reported by Howard Reich, music critic of the Chicago Tribune. Gerald “Mac” McDonald, an aging Vietnam War veteran from a town nears Chicago, learns decades later that he is the heir to a priceless art collection stolen by the Nazis. His arduous voyage to Prague in search of this legacy leads him to embrace an identity that had been hidden from him, and through art he discovers a deeper truth in his life. This work will have its premiere in Seattle in May of 2024 followed by performances in San Francisco and Chicago.  This production will feature Metropolitan Opera artists bass baritone Ryan McKinny and mezzo soprano Megan Marino. 

Recognition

MOR is generously supported by a core of individual donors and receives funding from the City of Seattle's Civic Partners program, 4Culture and the Washington State Art Commission's Project Support grants. Several of MOR's commissions have been supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Upcoming Events