Stay up to date on our latest projects
NOVEMBER 2024
Reclaiming Radical 2.0 Media Features
21V’s fall performance of Reclaiming Radical 2.0 receives coverage in Lisa Hirsch’s Iron Tongue of Midnight blog and on Broadwayworld.com!
Read Lisa's article here, and check out our Broadway World feature here.
News
APRIL 2024
"Reclaiming Radical" is a San Francisco Datebook Pick
21V's "Reclaiming Radical" was featured as a Datebook Pick in the San Francisco Datebook, with coverage by Joshua Kosman.
APRIL 2024
Martín Benvenuto featured in book chapter
21V Artistic Director Martín Benvenuto interviewed in Dr. Wendy Moy’s new book Resurrecting Song, published by Routledge in April of 2024. Martín is interviewed in Chapter Six, “New Choirs: Inspired to Create,” where he reflects on starting a new professional choir during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to learn more and to order Dr. Moy’s book.
APRIL 2023
21V To Premiere Two New Commissions
Two new commissions! We are excited to share that 21V has commissioned a piece from Mari Esabel Valverde (left) called “Skin,” premiered in April 2023 during our Sonic Reflections on Interconnectedness concert. We have also commissioned a piece from Stacy Garrop (right) called “My Dearest Ruth,” which will be premiered in 2024. It will be a great year for new music!
DECEMBER 2022
Voice Magazine, Issue 46.1 - Fall/Winter 2022
21V featured on the cover of Fall/Winter 2022 issue of The Voice, published by Chorus America on Making the First Administrative Hire. Read the full article (quotes from Martín's interview highlighted in yellow) by clicking on the link below.
JUNE 2022
Voice Magazine, Issue 45.2 - Spring 2022
21V featured on the spring 2022 issue of The Voice, published by Chorus America.
APRIL 21, 2022
Our New Artistic Administrator
With much excitement, 21V welcomes Jungmee Kim as our Artistic Administrator! Jungmee will work in close partnership with the Artistic Director in managing the administrative duties of 21V, including concert production, marketing, funds development, and artistic support.
With experience in project management, graphic design, marketing, and event planning, Jungmee also brings to the table her strengths as a collaborative pianist. Says Martín: "It’s a true privilege to find not only the skills needed for the tasks at hand, but also the perspective of a performing artist, all in one person."
Says Jungmee: "I am thrilled to be part of 21V and to work alongside my friend and distinguished conductor Martín in building this innovative new arts organization that focuses on advocating inclusivity through music that pushes boundaries. Congratulations on your inspiring and successful inaugural concerts earlier this month, and I cannot wait to meet all the talented singers and the 21V community!"
APRIL 2022
Save the Date for our inaugural program, Beyond Binary!
After many months of planning and preparation, we are beyond excited to be announcing 21V’s inaugural program, Beyond Binary, on April 1, 2022 at the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center and April 2, 2022 at the African American Museum & Library in Oakland! The program explores and challenges the myth of “us vs. them,” and will feature the world premiere of 21V’s first commission, “Praise Song for Tulsa.”
As a treble ensemble defined by voice range rather than gender, we join together many sound colors into a new choral instrument that brings to life the music of our times – silenced narratives of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, a tribute to those we lost during COVID, and the unexpected turns that illustrate the richness and interconnectivity of our American continent in the 21st century.
NOVEMBER 7, 2021
21V’s first project at Redwood Grove
We recorded a performance of our first commission, “Praise Song for Tulsa” by Charles Griffin and Christina Springer, at the awe-inspiring Redwood Grove at UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens in November 2021. We were joined by guest soloist Dr. Mark Wilson in the role of “The Pastor.”
JUNE 1, 2021
The beginning of the collaboration on our Tulsa commission
We teamed up with composer Charlie Griffin and poet and Orisha priest Christina Springer to explore the joy, power, and happiness of the Tulsa community that led to violence. Hear Martín, Christina, and Charlie discuss the new piece and why it resonates into our current day.
OCTOBER 23, 2021
The path of a treblemaker
Our founder and Artistic Director Martín Benvenuto was a guest speaker on this podcast episode from our friends at In Unison. You'll hear about the genesis of the ideas behind 21V, how a conductor’s sound ideals shape a new choral instrument, planting the seeds for composers to imagine treble music in new ways, and applying our art and our presence as they exist in the same universe. The episode kicks off by walking a few minutes in Martín's shoes, by way of a strange gift...
We hope you are inspired by these origin stories!
MARCH 16, 2021
Happy birthday, 21V
What does "catalyst for change" mean to you?
We launched 21V as a catalyst for change for a new choral sound composed of treble voices of all gender identities and performing 21st century music of the Americas. Hear the backstory of the genesis of 21V from Founder and Artistic Director, Dr. Martín Benvenuto!