INDIVISIBLE
The personal and profound soundtrack to American history
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In dark and uncertain times, music gives us the courage of conviction and the motivation to keep marching forward. With his presidency plagued by war and civil unrest, music was Lincoln’s main source of comfort, encouragement, and hope. With “Indivisible,” MUSE/IQUE presents a personal look at a pivotal era in American history through the lens of music.
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Artistic & Music Director Rachael Worby shows us the man behind the presidency through the songs that moved Lincoln into action, all set against the grand backdrop of history. In this inventive and invigorating performance, music provides vital context for Lincoln's storied leadership.
​With this expertly curated program, we invite you to connect with Lincoln through the universal language of music. You will be transported back to the 19th century to hear, feel, and understand how music of the time mirrored the key events, emotions, and themes from Lincoln’s time in office. Patriotic songs, marches, popular music, spirituals, and opera saved him from the despair of the Civil War and emboldened him to pursue the fight for emancipation.​​​
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Join MUSE/IQUE as we explore Lincoln’s enduring impact on American history with our season’s biggest, most triumphant choral and orchestra performance. This moving portrait of freedom and equality inspires us to recognize the power of music to unite us all in a shared hope for a new way forward.
Indivisible
Program Repertoire
Battle Cry of Freedom - George Frederick Root, arr. Michael Valerio
Katherine Powers, Nathan Granner, DC6 Singers Collective and Friends, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
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Address to Congress, 1862 - Abraham Lincoln
Wren T. Brown
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Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair - Stephen Foster, arr. Michael Valerio
Nathan Granner, Juan Gallegos, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
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Letter to Ephraim D. and Phoebe Ellsworth - Abraham Lincoln
Wren T. Brown
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Hard Times Come Again No More - Stephen Foster, arr. Michael Valerio
Michael Valerio, Gabe Witcher
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Ev’ry Time I Hear the Spirit - African American spiritual, arr. W.L. Dawson
Marlaina Owens (soloist), Sopranos & Altos of DC6 Singers Collective and Friends
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Gettysburg Address - Abraham Lincoln
Wren T. Brown
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Go Down Moses - African American spiritual, arr. Michael Valerio
Nathan Granner, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
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The Last Rose of Summer from Martha - Friedrich von Flotow
Katherine Powers, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
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None So Rare from Martha - Friedrich von Flotow
Nathan Granner, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
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Annie Laurie - Traditional Scottish Song, arr. Michael Valerio
Katherine Powers, Alan Steinberger, Michael Valerio, Paul Viapiano, Gabe Witcher
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Northern Amazing Grace - John Newton, arr. Sandy Valerio & Alan Buechner
DC6 Singers Collective and Friends
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O, Captain! My Captain! - Walt Whitman
Wren T. Brown
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Battle Hymn of the Republic - William Steffe & Julia Ward Howe, arr. Peter Wilhousky
Katherine Powers, Nathan Granner, DC6 Singers Collective and Friends, MUSE/IQUE Orchestra
Indivisible
Program
Indivisible
Artists
KATHERINE POWERS, VOCALS
Lauded as “smart singer” with a “gorgeous, clear voice" (Operaworld.com), soprano Katherine Powers made a splash with LA Opera’s 2015 Figaro Unbound series for the lead role in Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. She made her LA Opera debut in 2015 in the GRAMMY Award-winning production of The Ghosts of Versailles. Notable roles include Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Frasquita in Carmen, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Musetta in La Bohème, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Alice in Falstaff, Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and the title role in The Merry Widow. Katherine currently serves as Executive Director of Pacific Opera Project, and spearheads development, finance, and strategic planning. She previously served as the founding Director of Vocal Arts at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley.
nathan granner, VOCALS
Nathan Granner, a renowned American tenor, has captivated audiences worldwide with his sinewy, ringing tone and exceptional vocal flexibility. Granner's artistry shines in his creation of iconic characters in world-premiere operas. His portrayal of Korey Wise in Anthony Davis' Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Central Park Five" (2020), the title role in Gordon Getty's "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," and the intricate Doctor Morel in Stewart Copeland's "The Invention of Morel" showcase his ability to bring complexfigures to the operatic stage. Granner's upcoming 2024-2025 season promises exciting new roles, including Stuart Ullman/Delbert Grady in "The Shining" with Portland Opera and his debut as Radamès in "Aida" with Dayton Opera. These engagements further demonstrate his versatility and ongoing artistic evolution.
![Artists - RBS [Recovered]_Wren.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a07af2_2f7655493263480f8d97382796cbbdd2~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_262,h_262,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Artists%20-%20RBS%20%5BRecovered%5D_Wren.png)
wren t. brown, actor
Wren T. Brown is an actor, producer, director, and a fourth-generation Angeleno. Some of Brown's television appearances include "Whoopi," "Whoopi," "Grey’s Anatomy," "Star Trek: Voyager,""Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Simpsons," "Everybody Hates Chris," "Frasier," and "Seinfeld." Some of Brown's television appearances include: “Whoopi,” “Flipper: The New Adventures.” “Bless This House,” “Half & Half,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “ ”The Orville,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Touched by an Angel,” "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Simpsons,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” "Frasier," “Seinfeld,” and “A Different World.”
dc6 singers collective and friends, vocals
DC6 Singers Collective are a Los Angeles-based ensemble of dynamic and energetic a cappella, gospel, and Motown singers. Together, the DC6 Singers Collective have brought their shared passion for music as well as their uplifting and charismatic performances to audiences across the country. In harmony, the DC6 Singers Collective delivers a unique approach to gospel and Motown standards and breathes new life into classic and current pop standards.
1ST SOPRANO
Ciara Mashea Curran
Chloe Vaught
Molly Pease
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2ND SOPRANO
Mandi White
Marlaina Owens
Tiffany Nicole Brevard
1ST ALTO
Brandon Harris
Erinn Monique
Jyvonne Haskin
Tia Simone
2ND ALTO
Lydia René
Margaret Best-Collins
Valerie Tambaoan
​​1ST TENOR
Daniel Ozan
Josh Munnell
Ronnie Ohannon
2ND TENOR
Kion Heidari
Loren Smith
BARITONE
David Saul Lee
Jared Jenkins
Julian Xavier
BASS
André D. Kelly
David Erik Peterson
Zev Marx-Kahn
MICHAEL VALERIO, basS & vocals
Michael Valerio is one of the most in-demand studio bassists in Los Angeles, as well as an accomplished arranger and vocalist. Recent film projects include Killers of the Flower Moon and the Oscar-winning score to Oppenheimer. In addition to his career as a multifaceted bassist, Michael has kept busy as an arranger and session conductor for film and television. He conducted sessions for Avatar: The Way of Water, The Mandalorian, Rise, and the new shows "Paradise" and "Elsbeth." He has performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras.
GABE WITCHER, fiddle & vocals
Gabe Witcher is a GRAMMY-winning multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and arranger best known for his work with the genre-bending acoustic quintet, Punch Brothers. Throughout his nearly 40-year career, he has worked with a wide range of artistic luminaries including Paul Simon, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Willie Nelson, the Coen Brothers, Jon Batiste, and Bela Fleck. Witcher frequently appears as a featured soloist on many award-winning film and television scores including Oscar winners Brokeback Mountain, Babel, and Toy Story, Cars, The Good Dinosaur, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Better Call Saul. Over the past decade, Witcher has premiered works with the San Francisco Symphony, Boston Pops, and the National Symphony Orchestra among others.
​This special group works closely with MUSE/IQUE to develop and produce arrangements, advise on repertoire, and help bring the music to life.
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Principal Arranger and Special Advisor to the Music Director Michael Valerio.
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The role of the Narrator was cast by Michael Donovan Casting
(Michael Donovan, CSA; Richie Ferris, CSA).
MUSE/IQUE orchestra
Led by Artistic & Music Director Rachael Worby
Violin I
Alyssa Park (concertmaster), Lisa Dondlinger, Marisa Kuney, Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, Kayvon Sesar
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Violin II
Neel Hammond, Mina Hong, Paul Cartwright, Haesol Lee, Gabe Witcher
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Viola
Shawn Mann, Rodney Wirtz, Karoline Menezes
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Cello
Charlie Tyler, Ginger Murphy
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Flute
Amy Tatum, Rachel Mellis
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Oboe
Michele Forrest, Gigi Brady
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Clarinet
Juan Gallegos, Laura Stoutenborough
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Bassoon
Alex Rosales Garcia, Amber Wyman
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Horn
Allen Fogle, Adam Wolf
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Trumpet
Rob Schaer, Adam Bhatia
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Trombone
Nick Daley, Ryan Dragon
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Tuba
P. Blake Cooper
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Keyboard
Alan Steinberger
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Guitar/Banjo
Paul Viapiano
​Bass
Michael Valerio
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Percussion
Jamey Tate
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Percussion/Timpani
Sidney Hopson​
Brady Steel, Orchestra Manager. Caroline Boyce, Librarian.
This season is presented by LeeAnn and Ron Havner / JCS Family Foundation.
Additional Sponsors:
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Anonymous, Avery and Andrew Barth, Michael Casey, Nancy and Michael Harahan, Ellen and Harvey Knell, Ambassador Robert Kohorst and Shelley Allen, The Jerry and Terri Kohl Family Foundation, Debbie and Rick Powell, and Alyce de Roulet Williamson.