Radix Vocal Ensemble: Waypoints & Wanderings
$25 ($10 senior/student/limited income; ages 12 & under free)
- Kevin Deitz, cello & double bass
- Mario Diaz, guitar
Codex Calixtinus — Psallat chorus celestium
Katerina Gimon — Boundless
Otmar Mátcha — Hoj, hura, hoj!
Wade Hemsworth — The Wild Goose
Bob Chilcott — Swansongs
Fahri Beqiri — Shkoj e vij
Anders Edenroth — The Grass Grows Greener
Giovanni Battista Martini — In monte Oliveti
Grayston Ives — Five Sacred Songs (No. 3: The sorrows of death & No. 2: O how amiable are thy dwellings)
Joan Szymko — Nada te Turbe
Paul Simon — Loves Me Like a Rock
Stevie Nicks — Landslide
John Kaulia — Lili'u e
Mary Montgomery Koppel — Mother of Exiles
säje — Desert Song
The Radix Vocal Ensemble is a small but mighty group of treble vocalists who love to sing everything from medieval chant to poppin' jazz numbers, all on the same concert program! Our spring show honors the journey of life, with all of its beautiful twists and turns. We don't always end up where we expect to, but bonds of family, faith, nation, and community guide our way. Featuring works by Katerina Gimon, Otmar Mátcha, Bob Chilcott, Anders Edenroth, Joan Szymko, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, Mary Montgomery Koppel, and Säje. Stay afterwards for cake!
About Radix Vocal Ensemble
Founded in 2019, the Radix Vocal Ensemble presents regular concert performances in the Portland, OR Metro Area, as well as singing several Evensong services annually at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. We take inspiration from our name, Radix: meaning "root" in Latin. A core part of our repertoire is medieval plainchant and polyphony, music that connects us and our audience to the ancient origins of the Western Classical choral tradition. At the same time, we are committed to being open-minded musical explorers, seeking connections between disparate musical eras and traditions rather than setting limits on what kinds of music we can or will perform. Our musical repertoire is varied and eclectic. As artists, we seek to understand the core meaning of the music we perform, and we aim to sing with clarity, authenticity, gratitude, and above all, joy.
The Radix Vocal Ensemble seeks to inspire in ourselves and in our audiences a deep appreciation for the beautiful diversity of human experience expressed through song. We also aim to strengthen community—both our own, and the circles of community that emanate from it—through vocal performances that are compelling, meaningful, and joyous.
http://www.radixvocalensemble.comAbout Kevin Deitz, cello & double bass
About Mario Diaz, guitar
Mario Díaz is a guitarist, singer, audio engineer, and educator whose musical activities have taken him across the U.S. and South America. A member of the Oregon Guitar Quartet, he has also performed with Portland Opera, 45th Parallel, Fear No Music and Third Angle New Music. He is a faculty member at Portland State University and Portland Community College, Director of the PSU Guitar Series, and head of the guitar program at Young Musicians & Artists. Mario also maintains a private teaching studio in Portland and serves as a clinician and adjudicator across the region.
Díaz's work as a soloist and collaborator crosses over into a wide range of genres and styles, from classical to rock. He has participated in three tours and two Idaho residencies with the Dave Eggar Band and has recorded with Pink Martini, the von Trapps, and Martin Zarzar. During his time at Allegro Media Group, Mario engineered and mastered over 300 recordings. In addition to teaching in the guitar program at PSU, he is a faculty member in the university's groundbreaking Sonic Arts and Music Production program.
Mario holds degrees from San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Portland State University, where he studied with composer/guitarists Bryan Johanson and Sergio Assad. When not making music, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
https://www.pdx.edu/arts/profile/mario-diaz