If you’re itching for exciting local music, Munyaa has you covered with his newest single “Danko.” Munya Mambira is an Eugene based artist going by the name Munyaa. He creates music inspired by Afropop, Amapiano and artists ranging from Young Thug to Rema that has been described as “beach music.” 

“I like to call myself an African artist,” Munyaa said. “When I say Afropop artist, it’s like I’m caging myself to one sound cause there’s so many music styles that I like to do. Yes, I do Afropop and Amapiano but I’m also open minded. Like Drake, you can put him on anything.”

Originally from Zimbabwe, Munyaa has been a part of a musical household for as long as he could remember. 

“Music has always been around me. I did theater arts in high school, I did choir, I did traditional dance. I did everything that has to do with music and art in my younger age,” Munyaa said. “Then when I started recording, I was 18 or 14. I don’t quite remember exactly the year, but that’s when I started actually going to the studio and recording and making a song.”

Munyaa’s new single “Danko” featuring MJ Sings is a 5 minute celebration backed by danceable drums and top quality vocals. The song is fresh and exciting with a catchy hook to draw new listeners in. 

“‘Danko’ means thank you. That’s the best way to describe it,” Munyaa said. “It’s a gratitude song. It’s just me being thankful for life, for blessings and just celebrating life.”  

Munyaa has already seen success bringing his sound to Lane County over the past three years and hopes that he can expand his sound even further.

“I’ve been receiving great energy from Eugene and Springfield here in town,” Munyaa said. “I’ve even done a couple shows at the college. It’s been great vibes. The people, they love it.”

With “Danko” just having dropped on Nov. 28, Munyaa is already looking towards the future and his upcoming plans. Right now he is focused on creating a 3-4 track EP and hopes to release an album in the future. 

Munyaa said he takes influence from artists he admires like Rema and Wizkid and tries to model his career trajectory after them by first dropping some singles, then eventually an EP.

“I want to give as many people a chance to listen to the song so they can decide if they love it and want to follow the journey for the boy,” Munyaa said. “But the goal for this single is to reach as big an audience as I can.”

While still in his young career, Munyaa’s excellent collection of work speaks for itself. Munyaa is still trying to learn how to best navigate the musical landscape even with an impressive catalogue this early in his career.

“I’m not just like an artist doing my thing. I’m also an artist who’s willing to work with different people,” Munyaa said. “I’m still learning, so if there’s anyone who wants to work with Munyaa, I’m pretty open.”

Check out Munyaa’s work, and his latest single, on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and Youtube. 

Every new school year, University of Oregon students see which bands have returned, who has moved on from the scene and who has taken the next step toward becoming local legends. This year is marked by the homecoming of a Eugene favorite.

Put it in the headlines: Grasp is back.

Grasp’s sound is hard to place. It draws from a variety of genres and artists. From upright bassist Avishai Cohen to singer-songwriter and rocker Jeff Buckley, there is a wide range of influences in the band.

“I would have to describe it on a spectrum. If you put jazz and hard rock at the opposite ends of the spectrum the sounds just fall between them,” guitarist Gibsen Andresen said. “It’s hard to put a label on it, but I guess that’s something that we take pride in on a certain level.”

Grasp was unofficially founded around eight years ago by Andresen, vocalist and senior advertising major Dylan Squires and bassist Spencer Misfeldt. The three started out as friends writing songs together during their free fifth period in high school.

“I was 16, he was 15, I was in sophomore year of high school and we were just writing songs just to amuse ourselves really,” Anderson said. “It definitely was nothing serious on any level.”

Now after cycling through many members, band names and a variety of intermittent hiatuses, Grasp is back and ready to play live for the first time since 2022. The band lost founding member Misfeldt somewhere in that process and is coming back with a lineup including Isaac Luger on bass, Ryan Helms on Saxophone, Nate Wuethrich on drums and Lucas Carroll on rhythm guitar.

“We’ve watched all the kingdoms rise and fall. All the iterations of the scenes and the bands and everything, usually from afar,” Andresen said.

They came back from this recent two year hiatus with a lineup that they had never played live together before their Halloween show at local venue the Limelight.

With only nine days of practice as a group, Grasp had to go into overtime to get ready for their first gig back and their new members up to speed.

“Four days before we actually played the show, we had a rehearsal where we just played one of Gibsen’s songs, ‘Until Tomorrow,’ with such energy that I think everyone in the room knew this is possible,” Squires said. “We’re gonna do it, we see the end, the light at the end of the tunnel.”

As of now three songs released before their last hiatus are available for streaming on their Spotify page. The band has no plans to release more music anytime soon and is focusing on performing.

“Obviously that can shift really fast as we continue to write more songs all together,” Squires said. “It’s about the live experience, that’s what we’re chasing. Ryan, our saxophonist, had only ever played jazz gigs before our house show so he’s playing to people in suits sitting down. Getting thrusted into that environment, I could see the excitement on his face.”

While Eugene missed out on Grasp shows, Andresen said their hiatus was much needed to come back with a fresh perspective. Now with a full tank of gas the band says they plan to have their next show by the end of November.

Grasp is now faced with the challenge facing most Eugene bands: finding a place to play in the cold winter months.

“If people want to make a venue out of their pad and are down for some indoor shows, sacrifice their house for the greater good of the music scene, tell them to get at us,” Andresen said.

Andersen said the top priority is using the next few weeks to flesh out their setlist. Once that gets figured out, the newest iteration of Grasp is ready to light Eugene’s eyes and ears on fire.

“We just want to bring people together. A lot of people that come to house shows in Eugene might just be drunk college kids who are looking to party and we know that’s the case,” Squires said. “We want to give something memorable for the people that are out that night, and something that, when it’s all said and done, when they’re doing their homework, when they’re chilling the next day they think back like, ‘God damn. That took me somewhere.’”

The post Grasp and their return to the house show scene appeared first on Daily Emerald.

UO is world renowned in track and field, ranked No. 1 in the country for football and recently made a big move to the Big Ten Conference. But UO also has a rich diversity of programs outside of athletics, including but not limited to esports.

Senior marketing major Jackson Zyskowski is the team manager for all of UO’s Valorant teams. The teams are divided into three: Green, Yellow and White. Zyskowski played on UO Green his first three years at UO until he decided to take a step back from competing and become the team’s manager. 

“I’m very passionate about esports, obviously coming from a player standpoint, I love esports. So it’s just a way that I can stay involved without playing,” Zyskowski said. 

As team manager, Zyskowski is in charge of scheduling matches, booking scrims for all of the teams and booking the Esports Lounge on campus. For UO Green, Zyskowski says he likes to take on more of a coaching role using his experience as a former player. “It’s pretty easy. They do all the hard work,” he said. 

One of the players “doing all the hard work” is junior business administration major Chase Cohen, UO Green’s in-game leader and controller player. Cohen joined the Valorant team last year as a JV UO Yellow player. This year is his first year on UO Green, and he will be playing as team captain.

“I played baseball growing up my whole life, and so the team environment and competitive nature is deep, deep rooted inside of me,” Cohen said “I have to get it out somehow, so it’s kind of fun to be able to do that playing a video game.”

Fall term is the busiest season for the Valorant teams. While all of the teams are expected to put in time commitment, about four days a week, UO Green takes on a larger role than its sister teams. 

“Normally we try to do on average four days a week and four hours of practice,” Zyskowski said. “Today’s a little bit different, we had a match at 10 a.m. and then our last match today is gonna be at like 7 p.m. We’re probably going to be here for 11 hours today so it’s definitely a big time commitment, especially for the Green Team.”

Right now, the UO Green is playing in Big Ten events with playoffs at the end of the season. Additionally, the team will compete in several other tournaments like CECC – the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup.

“We played Oregon State which made for a really fun environment of  people coming together to watch the game because it’s OSU vs UO,” Cohen said. 

For the players, the competitive nature from in person sports doesn’t just disappear, making esports a great way to socialize and compete at a collegiate level. 

“I love having a way to play with a group of guys, to get to know a group of guys over a shared common interest,” Cohen said. “So we’re really just trying to make the most out of it as this fun social experience and get together to play this game. And I think the opportunity the esports program provides is really f*cking awesome for that.”

The first month back at school can set the tone for the entire year. Going out of the way to get outside your comfort zone and check out some of Eugene’s finest concert venues can go a long way toward making college feel like home. Eugene is not a traditional tour stop, but it does have some great smaller acts coming by every week.

WOW Hall

WOW frequently hosts smaller acts, making it a great place to catch local bands. The intimate venue is an amazing spot for a night out in Downtown Eugene.

Earthgang opens up their set. Earthgang, supported by Benji and Guapdad 4000, perform on their Mirrorland tour on Nov. 13, 2019 at WOW Hall in Eugene, Ore. (DL Young/ Emerald)

(DL Young /@cinematicsonly)Hawthorne Heights Oct. 11

Emo band Hawthorne Heights will be touring for the 20 year anniversary of its classic album “The Silence in Black And White.” With over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, Hawthorne Heights is one of the most popular bands on the list, making this a must see if you’re a fan of classic 2000s emo music.

Caltucky, Muddy Souls and Dadweed Oct. 17

If you’re a fan of bluegrass music, this will be the first event you’ll want to check out. All three bands come from the Pacific Northwest, and Muddy Souls even hails from Eugene itself. Make sure to get your tickets in advance to save some money.

Hult Center for the Performing Arts

The Hult Center is my absolute favorite local venue. The beautiful auditorium makes it the perfect setting for not only concerts but plays, symphonies and movies, too. This venue also has one of the largest capacities for any setting in Eugene, and a great variety of restaurants and bars nearby in the downtown area.

Fans dance along to Death Cab for Cutie’s “The Ghosts of Beverly Drive.” Death Cab for Cutie takes ‘Thank You for Today’ to the Hult Center on Sept. 24, 2018. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

(Sarah Northrop)Destroyer with special guest Katie Von Schleicher Oct. 14

Destroyer makes some beautiful indie rock music and hails from Canada. If I had to pick just one of these events to go to, it would have to be Destroyer at Hult Center. The combination of his beautiful songwriting and the outstanding venue should make this concert an unmissable experience.

Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Live in Concert Oct. 18

One of the best decisions I made was covering Star Wars: A New Hope last year at the Hult Center with a live symphony. The venue seems perfectly designed to show movies with live instrumentation. Combine this with a fantastic movie like “Across the Spider-Verse,” this showing should be a great time.

McDonald Theater

McDonald is a classic venue known for hosting more popular acts ranging from hip-hop and rock to comedy. Some of the best concerts I’ve seen, from JPEGMAFIA to Tennis, have been at McDonald and it’s always a great time.The stooped floor going down into the stage is a really interesting set up, and like the other two places on this list the venue is fantastic and near some great late night spots.

Cris Jacobs comes out after opening to play with The Stringdusters. The Infamous Stringdusters perform at McDonald Theater in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 9, 2023. (Kai Kanzer/ Emerald)

Tape B Oct. 4

Eugene does not get a lot of big electronic artists coming through, so it’s always worthwhile to check them out when they do. Tape B is coming by with a stacked card including Levity and MYTHM. This should be a fun night out for any electronic music enjoyers.

BabyTron & BLP Kosher Nov. 6

Even though this is a month away, I had to include BabyTron on this list. Over the past few years, Eugene has seen many great hip-hop acts come by from Travis Scott to Amine. While still not the prime destination for massive rappers that Portland is, we have a good selection of talent coming in to check out our city. BabyTron should be a great time for any hip-hop fans looking to get a fix in Eugene.

The start of the school year marks a great time for change and great tunes. Presenting: back to school blues.

1. “Last Laugh” – Badbadnotgood

Badbadnotgood is coming off a heater with its recent drop of the three-sided LP “Mid Spiral.” Every track would make my “best of the year” list, but “Last Laugh” is on my decade list, making it the perfect instrumental for your first steps back on campus.

2. “Sabotage” – Snow Strippers

Snow Strippers is one of my favorite duos making music right now. It’s exciting take on dance music is extremely unique. I couldn’t exclude “Sabotage” from this list, as the infectious beat fills my thoughts nearly every waking moment of the day.

3. “Like a Movie” – Duster

Duster’s sixth album is one of it’s best. The band’s resurgence in the early years of TikTok have brought popularity the group had never experienced before. On this new LP, Duster explores more sounds and lands on “Like a Movie.” To me, it’s the ultimate Duster track of the 21st century.

4. “Feminine Adornments” – julie

From it’s debut single “flutter,” I have been in love with julie. The young trio is my favorite band to come out of the 2020s, and it isn’t slowing down. Influences on the trio’s recent album remain similar: grunge, shoegaze and sonic youth. This new project is its most refined to date, and “Feminine Adornments” will be in all my playlists at least until winter term.

5. “1/500” – Spirit of the Beehive

SOTBH is another band I am hopelessly obsessed with. Its most recent album departs from its almost perfected style of rock and leans into a pop songwriting structure. While this is not my favorite SOTBH albums, tracks like “1/500” stand out as perhaps its magnum opus, and the soundscapes fit a stroll around Eugene well.

6. “Killing Time” – Magdalena Bay

“Killing Time” is a highlight off an album full of anyone else’s career highs. Magdalena Bay has really hit its stride with “Imaginal Disk,” but I keep coming back to this track in particular. It’s a warm welcome to a likely permanent staple in my rotation.

7. “Clean Heart” – Sade

Sade season is among us. It’s hard to choose a favorite Sade song when every one of the very few songs she has released is a masterpiece. But “Clean Heart” is right at the top of the list for me. Plus, it’s a little hard not to get pumped for the school year with that sick saxophone.

8. “Half the World Away” – Oasis

Welcome back Oasis, we missed you. Originally a B-side, this track became one of my favorite Oasis songs the first time I hit play. It also completely embodies a return to school for me, and might for you too.

Existing at the same time as so many fantastic bands is rewarding to those willing to put in the effort towards discovering them. What a time to be alive. Check out the full playlist here.

NFL fans can finally rejoice; football is almost back. A new season means new gear and regular season games are less than a month away, so what better time to talk about these new looks?

Starting off strong with the team of choice for many students, the Seattle Seahawks and their electric throwback uniforms. One of the cleanest looks league wide makes its return for week six versus the San Francisco 49ers. This rivalry is Seattle’s most important, so it’s only right to dress to impress for the big game.

The Green Bay Packers will be rocking (unbiasedly) the most badass kit for the year. The “winter warning” game versus the Houston Texans should be the launch of the new white alternate helmets to go with their white away jerseys and white pants. Hopefully the white helmets make a few more appearances throughout the year and even become a staple in the team’s away kit.

The Minnesota Vikings are also going for an all white look this year with their new white alternate jerseys and white helmet. The jerseys feature very little in the way of detail with a gray “Vikings” inscription on the collar and purple lettering for the numbers. This is also the first time in franchise history the Vikings have worn a white helmet, giving fans an entirely new look to be excited about.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back their first ever uniforms. The “Prowler throwbacks” look like a slight variation on the current kit. The white pants have a few variations of stripes, the teal jerseys seem to have a new font for the lettering and both the jerseys and the helmet will feature the team’s original logo. These jerseys will make their debut against the Indianapolis Colts in week five.

Keeping in theme with the throwbacks, the Miami Dolphins will be rocking two variations of their past looks. Week two the Dolphins will be wearing their aqua variation for Thursday night primetime and the white version will be on display for their Thanksgiving game. I know it’s been said before, but seriously, just make the aquas the official jerseys. They’re too good to be relegated to one game a year.

The Detroit Lions have completely reinvigorated their looks. The new uniforms start out with a home uniform redesign including a richer Honolulu blue and a switch to white for the lettering versus the previous gray. The blue primary helmets have a new Mustang inspired striping pattern and a blue face mask. Additionally, the team is introducing a new alternate black uniform with blue lettering. This jersey itself is solid and stands out, but the helmet is quite hideous. The Honolulu blue with the black logo and black stripes down the middle is simply not a good look. These alternates were a reward for winning their division last year, but hopefully they can get some new helmets if they win it again this year.

The most universal change to the gear league wide is the introduction of the guardian cap. Early in the preseason Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathon Taylor was seen sporting the new protective caps previously banned in-game. While it’s still preseason, the thought of these caps in an official game is causing quite a stir in the NFL community. Some argue the caps look silly, while others believe safety is more important than aesthetics. It’s hard for me to disagree with the latter side. Safety first as they say. Besides, I had to squint to even notice them.

All of these looks combined should make for a very fashionable season of football in the 2024-2025 season. Personally, I’m most excited for the Packers white out and the Seahawks throwbacks.

My own enjoyment of Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 begins with “Ponyo”; a childhood classic for many. Last year I celebrated Ghibli fest with a rewatch of the fantastic “Spirited Away,” and the year before with “Howl’s Moving Castle.”

Ghibli Fest brings Studio Ghibli’s most celebrated films back to theaters, and this year the festival has a rather extensive catalog of the studio’s classics compared to last year’s iteration. The festival is having its self proclaimed biggest year yet with all of the classics one could expect from the year long event.

Two movies — “The Wind Rises” and “Porco Rosso” — were left off the slate of 16 this year, but the rest of the 2023 catalog has made or is making a reappearance. In years past, Ghibli fest has run only through the summer and early fall; last year saw the company branch out into a more extended run spanning late March to November. This year, the festival began a little later, so if you’re chronically late to the party like me, the good news is you have until December to catch the studio’s works on the big screen.

“Ponyo” is the quintessential Ghibli and a staple in the fest. It’s family friendly and portrays a classic story of man versus nature, making the audience feel compassionate for the nature side of the conflict like only Miyazaki can. The story, to me at least, is about the inherent good nature of children. The film follows the five-year-old boy Sosuke and his adventure with his new goldfish-human friend Ponyo on an epic quest only the two of them could complete.

Like many other Studio Ghibli films, “Ponyo” centers around the relationship between humans and nature as well as humans and the mystical. Others like “Princess Mononoke” do so in a conflict driven manner, while Ponyo feels like the two sides are simply having a harder time understanding each other than anything else. The big bad wolf of the film isn’t so bad at all, and really only has Ponyo’s best interest at heart.

But perhaps what draws so many western audiences into the many worlds of Ghibli is the stunning animation. Ponyo is no exception to this, as the scenery of the small coastal town in Japan feels both grounded in reality and the otherworldly as violent storms envelope the lands. The landscapes of the pre-flooded society and the society following the flood are distinctly different, while still feeling like they remain in the same town. The fluid and chaotic car driving of Sosuke’s mom, physics defying occurrences and of course the delicious-looking food give Ghibli a distinct style that’s hard to emulate.

“Ponyo” is hopefully not the last Ghibli movie I watch at this fest, but it will get a little harder to justify the tickets, popcorn and drinks that make going to the movies so much more enjoyable. I plan on catching a showing of “Whisper of the Heart” late in August. For next year’s Ghibli fest, I hope “Grave of the Fireflies” makes a return as it has not been available on United States streaming services for quite some time. But for those just starting out on their Ghibli journey, “Ponyo” is a wholesome start.

Oregon rocks — and gems too. Eugene residents came flocking to see and purchase rocks, gems and minerals at the 2024 Oregon Geo Fest.

The festival was hosted and organized by 5 Elements Gem and Mineral in front of their storefront and ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20. Over a dozen vendors came to sell their wares and promote their businesses.

One booth, operated by Desiree Mengel and sold under the brand name “DN Mengel Minerals,” sells minerals and crystals from all around the world as well as carvings of pop culture mascots like Sanrio’s My Melody or Pokemon’s Squirtle.

“I just absolutely love the fluorite. It’s fluorescent and they’re just really cute cubes,” Mengel said. “But if you’re going to ask me what moves the best, it’s definitely the little carvings. I bring those in because it’s what people want, but my passion is the fluorite.”

Mengel has been a lifelong rock hounder, but she didn’t open DN Mengel Minerals until around a year ago. Before that, she was a farmer. She only resorted to selling crystals after her barn burned down.

“I lost everything and went into a deep depression and used all my insurance money to start this,” Mengel said.

The story seems to have a happy ending for Mengel though, as she says she loves what she does.

“The people that I meet are really what’s the best about this business,” she said. “Not only the customers, but all the relationships you make with the different members.”

Another vendor at the festival, Ariel McCoy, owns and operates the crystal shop Inspiring Alignments in Eugene. McCoy became interested in crystals and the geological process after taking an LLC geology course. She took knowledge from the class and applied her own love for the metaphysical to make her shop what it is today.

“My store is a little bit of both where we can talk about like the mineral makeup, but also the
Energetic makeup of the stones,” McCoy said.

McCoy has been collecting stones since 2010 and has had her store for four years now. One of McCoy’s favorite stones that she pointed out was the green serpentinite from the Ural Mountain mines in Russia. The Ural Mountains range is one of the oldest in the world with a deep history of the metaphysical.

“They each carry a unique energy and come from different locations all around the world,” she said. “I also feel like I use stones from different locations as a way to feel like I can travel the world without leaving home.”

The serpentinite stone is a mixture of serpentine and other minerals which can be hard to find. But serpentine itself is rather common all around Oregon.

“I’ve actually gone on a field trip with LCC and we chipped away at a cliff of a serpentine,” McCoy said. “It was really cool, so there’s like some memory tied into it as well.”

In addition to the crystals, Inspiring Alignments sells a number of things including locally made products and artwork from local artists. McCoy is primarily a tie dye artist and sells custom tie dye clothing through the store as well.

“I love the custom tie dyes where someone’s like, ‘this is my size, these are the colors I like, can you make me something?’”

Both of these vendors are on the move if you want to check them out. At the moment, DN Mengel Minerals does not have a physical store, but can be found on Instagram.

DN Mengel Minerals Instagram
Inspiring Alignments: 1120 Bailey RD, Suite 1

The myriad of events UO offers for free to students and community members continues well into the summer. On July 11, the UO Chamber Choir held their Bon Voyage concert before departing for New Zealand and Australia for the World Choir Games.

The Bon Voyage concert was a part of the now concluded Oregon Bach Festival that ran from June 28 to July 14. All of the Oregon Bach festival’s spectacular performances were free or a meager $5 for students to attend.

The Bon Voyage concert was a preview of the material conductor Sharon J. Paul and UO Chamber Choir will be bringing to the choir competitions and performances in New Zealand and Australia.

A particularly jaw dropping part of the performance was the dreamy “Earth Song,” written by Frank Ticheli, and how it flowed into the abrasive “Fire” by Katerina Gimon. “Fire” seemed to shock everyone, and several in attendance let out a gasp as stomps and screams filled the auditorium.

Another powerful piece of the production was the song “Meet Me Here” by Craig Hella Johnson. The song is a part of a larger work “Considering Matthew Shepard,” created as a tribute to the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard.

At the beginning of the piece, Julien Heller, a sophomore chemistry and applied voice student, had a wonderful solo that carried throughout the auditorium and stood out as one of the most emotional parts of the performance.

“The topic of that piece is so poignant and heavy, and so important to bring to the world,” Heller said. “It’s so wonderful that we get to share a story like this, and bring more awareness to these kinds of issues that we have.”

The first modern piece of the production was the ethereal “If I Were A Swan” by Kevin Puts, words by Fleda Brown in 2016. The piece was originally a poem by Brown put to music by Puts.

“There are not a lot of repeating patterns, so we, as a choir, have worked tirelessly on that song, trying to perfect it,” Colette Lajoie, a senior general music student, said.

And their work, reflected by the audience’s delight, paid off.

“I just think it’s beautiful. It talks a lot about staying present and the simplicity of a swan who just knows who they are and what they are,” Lajoie said. “I think it will be really interesting to share with the choirs at the World Choir Games.”

In highschool, Heller and Lajoie participated in the Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy as part of the Bach festival. It was here they both decided they wanted to continue their choral journey’s into college.

“I vividly remember that concert,” Heller said. “I was like, I want to do that. I want to be in that.”

Members of UO Chamber Choir are invited to sing with the Bach Festival chorus for several shows in the festival taking place across Eugene in its finest auditoriums.

“Having the opportunity for us as students to sing with this professional chorus is life changing,” Lajoie said. “They spread us out and mix us up in the professional course, so we have the opportunity to speak with these people, to network with them and to work with these amazing conductors and in this very professional setting is such a great experience for us to have.”

This experience can be transformative for the studying singers. And the opportunity to network and collaborate with top-rate singers is truly special.

“Everyone here is so wonderful, so nice and it’s such a welcoming community. You learn so, so, so much,” Heller said. “Just in these two weeks, I feel like I have grown exponentially as a performer.”

The two could not sing any higher praise for the Bach Festival. Heller said the festival has had a broad long lasting impact on both of their lives, especially as former members of the Strangeland choir.

This type of adoration is equally expressed toward the Dean of the School of Music and Dance, Sabrina Madison-Cannon.

“​​She has really stepped up to help us get to New Zealand and to make this tour possible for us, and so we’re eternally grateful for the work that she’s put in to make that happen for us,” Lajoie said.

The next UO Chamber Choir performance will be coming at the end of the Fall 2024 school term, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for their shows. You won’t want to miss them.