Organization Member
Contact Information
3605253459
melinda@soundsalonmusic.orghttps://SoundSalonMusic.org
Seattle
Washington
Type of Organization
Performing Ensemble
About
Sound Salon (formerly Byron Schenkman & Friends) presents intimate and thoughtfully programmed concerts featuring composers and performers who are often overlooked, incorporating historical performance practice, and recontextualizing familiar classics.
Founded in 2013 as “Byron Schenkman & Friends," Sound Salon presents an annual concert series in Seattle WA. Each Sound Salon concert revolves around a particular theme, often exploring relationships of composers to each other, to their societies, and to our own time. Familiar composers and works are juxtaposed with more surprising discoveries, including music by women and People of the Global Majority.
In 2020, responding to the global pandemic, Sound Salon launched a digital concert series featuring exquisitely filmed performances which continue to be available at no cost on the Sound Salon YouTube channel. In recent years Sound Salon has also commissioned and premiered new works from Damien Geter, Caroline Shaw, and Jonathan Woody.
Sound Salon (formerly Byron Schenkman & Friends) presents intimate and thoughtfully programmed concerts featuring composers and performers who are often overlooked, incorporating historical performance practice, and recontextualizing familiar classics.
Founded in 2013 in Seattle, WA, Sound Salon builds an increasingly inclusive and diverse community through performances that welcome, engage, and inspire. An accessible "pay-as-you-wish" ticketing model and a commitment to performing across varied regional venues ensure community access regardless of economic or logistical constraints. Widely successful in its first two years, this ticketing model has sustained average ticket revenue while opening doors to broader audiences. Sound Salon also offers exquisitely filmed digital concerts available free on YouTube.
Artistically, Sound Salon expands the traditional early music repertoire by pairing canonical works with lesser-known gems by women and composers of the Global Majority, brought to life through the multifaceted perspectives of 21st-century performers. Sound Salon also regularly commissions and premieres new works from contemporary voices, including Damien Geter, Caroline Shaw, and Jonathan Woody.
We deepen this impact by inviting Guest Artistic Directors to provide vision and leadership for some of our programs—such as a recent "Music of Healing" concert designed and directed by a guest artist with cerebral palsy. By integrating expansive themes—from Karuk Indigenous traditions and Queer Baroque histories to Jewish-classical fusions—Sound Salon delivers a rich musical experience reflecting the complexity of modern society.
