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Windsong in the News
At the group’s recent 45th anniversary concert, Honor the Past, Inspire the Future, the diverse repertoire of songs reflected on historical figures of feminism while also examining what’s currently happening politically and socially throughout the country.
“We have songs that are very emotionally heavy that reflect a lot of the emotions that a lot of people, specifically people in the LGBTQ+ community, might be feeling right now,” [Artistic Director Jessica] Gallagher-Steuver said. “But even within that heaviness, there’s this constantly moving message of hope.”
-Jean-Marie Papoi,
”Cleveland’s Windsong chorus celebrates
45 years of lifting voices for feminism”
By Ken Schneck (he/him), The Buckeye Flame
April 21, 2024
What happens when Ohio’s feminist chorus, a prestigious university and a philosopher all get angry about racial injustice?
Audiences in northeast Ohio are about to find out as Windsong, Cleveland’s feminist chorus, has teamed up with Case Western Reserve University’s chorale and author and philosopher Dr. Myisha Cherry in “A Concert for Rage,” which will be performed on Saturday, April 27th at 6 pm at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in University Circle.
“The big takeaway from [The Case for Rage, by Dr. Myisha Cherry] is that the concept of rage oftentimes is seen as a bad word…rage is not a bad thing. If you are so angry about injustice, that doesn’t mean you’re full of hate.
With “A Concert for Rage,” we have selected pieces that highlight different parts of Cherry’s work in terms of how we can’t just have this blind, untethered rage. We have to kind of channel our rage into goal-setting, solidarity, and next steps. We also have a plentiful amount of resources for the audience…they too can carry on with their journey about how to be anti-racist and inclusive…
I would like it if audience members felt moved enough by the stories that the music is telling to then really look inside themselves and account for their own privilege and account for the fact that everybody constantly still has more to learn. There really is no end to it. This is just a constant conscious work of being anti-racist and being inclusive.” -Jessica Gallagher-Steuver, Artistic Director
Amanda Strand, Windsong’s Past Executive Director Discusses National Sister Singers Network Festival
VoyageOhio, March 16, 2023
“Windsong is hosting this festival right here in Cleveland! We are so excited to welcome 600-700 attendees from choruses from all over the country to spend 5 days gathering in fellowship, workshops, and song…This will be an amazing musical experience with Windsong performing, as well as the other Ohio choruses premiering a commissioned piece by Cleveland native Jan C. Snow, and the showstopper – two 200+ people mass choruses, each singing several pieces, including a world premiere song by Ayo Awosika, created for the festival.
Windsong is honored to be hosting this festival, the [Sister Singers Network]’s first since 2018 and our first opportunity to gather together in person since the Covid pandemic began…That is why this festival, in particular, feels even more important than the ones in the past. We need to come together, share our struggles and our triumphs, and raise our collective voices in song. I am especially excited to welcome all the attendees to Cleveland and show them all what an amazing city this is.”
News from Sing Out for Justice: October 2022
A Cleveland Choir Has a Message for the Community
By Karlynn Wells, Spectrum 1 News
Sep. 17, 2019
Windsong, Cleveland’s Feminist Chorus, gathered on Saturday to sing and bring in the sales at their annual “Treasure Fest” — an event held to raise money for the non-profit, which is a group of women who make beautiful music, while promoting feminism and social justice.
“Together, women particularly, can change the world, and that’s what we believe in and we love singing together and hearing the harmony,” said Ellen Catlin, founding member of Windsong.
The group formed as the Cleveland Women’s Chorus in the 1970’s, and was later transformed into Windsong, Cleveland’s Feminist Chorus.
“Feminism is about equality for all and when there are people who aren’t equal, it’s okay to call it out and be extra supportive,” said Kelly Camlin, Windsong co-president.
