Sigma Alpha Iota

26 Winter 2022 • sai-national.org ANGELA BROWN Angela Brown was initiated as an Honorary Member by the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter in October. Brown personifies the ideal soprano: sheer vocal power, luxurious finesse, and shimmering, high pianissimos. With a charming larger than life personality, she unites opera, pops, and gospel in one sensational voice and has graced the leading opera and symphonic stages across six continents. A featured artist on the two- time Grammy Award® winning recording "Ask Your Mama," Angela's international reputation continues to grow. Her highly successful Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of Aida captured instant attention from international print and broadcast media and catapulted Angela onto the world's prestigious opera and symphonic stages. While opera is the main catalyst for her career, Angela's performance experience includes everything from star emcee to producer, recording artist, podcast host, and program creator. Her most fervent endeavor is the founding and advancement of Morning Brown, Inc., a nonprofit with the mission of bridging the gap between accessible, live-music programs and underserved individuals, schools, and communities. Drawing on the success of her groundbreaking show, Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View©1997, Morning Brown works to bring cultural experiences and awareness to cultural deserts. In 2020, she launched a new podcast with Classical Music Indy and co-host Joshua ompson titled "Melanated Moments in Classical Music." Now in its third season, the first season landed in the top 10% of all podcasts for listeners and won Best Black Music Podcast of 2020. Other milestones for Angela include singing on the Grammy Award®-winning recording of "Ask Your Mama," co-starring in the new American opera, Charlie Parker's Yardbird in the 2015 world-premiere performance with Opera Philadelphia, and reprising the role of Addie Parker in historic performances at e Apollo in New York City in 2016, for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Madison Opera, and in London at e Hackney Empire in 2017. In early 2020, Angela sang Addie for Seattle Opera and performed her outreach show Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View in Portland, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Seattle. She is featured in the Marian Anderson [SAI Honorary Member] documentary, "Voice of Freedom," on PBS's American Experience airing in February 2021. A 1997 National Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions Winner, Ms. Brown received her Bachelor of Music degree in voice from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, where she studied with Ginger Beazley. She attended the Indiana University School of Music as a student in the studio of Virginia Zeani. Ms. Brown received the Indiana University African American Arts Institute's inaugural Herman C. Hudson Alumni Award in 2006, given annually to recognize outstanding contributions made in the arts by former members of the Institute. Ms. Brown is featured in "Nineteen Stars of Indiana," a book by Michael S. Maurer about nineteen, living Hoosier women with successful and inspirational life stories, released by Indiana University Press in December 2008. Angela is a proud recipient of the Indiana University Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the Governor's Arts Award from the Governor of Indiana, a Spirit of the Prairie Award from Conner Prairie in Indiana, and a member of the Indianapolis Public Schools Hall of Fame. Learn more at her website: www.angelambrown.com DR. SARAH BASSINGTHWAIGHTE Dr. Sarah Bassingthwaighte was initiated as a National Arts Associate by the Seattle Alumnae Chapter in October. ccccDr. Bassingthwaighte is an award-winning flutist, composer, and educator living in Seattle. In addition to performing as a soloist, she teaches flute and composition at Seattle Pacific University, and she performs regularly as a member of e Ecco Chamber Ensemble, e Sound Ensemble, and Windsong Classical Trio, among other chamber groups. For thirteen years, she was founding co-artistic director of Affinity Chamber Players, the premiere large contemporary chamber group in the Pacific Northwest. Her solo recordings of music for flute and electronics have appeared on the Pandora, Centaur, and CCMC labels, and her solo CDs, Songs from the Caucasus— music for flute and piano, Stalks in the Breeze—20th century works for flute alone, and Flute Meets Machine— music for flute and electronics, have received enthusiastic reviews, and are heard widely. Dr. Bassingthwaighte has served on the faculties of the University of Washington, Seattle University as Instrumental Music Director and flute and chamber music teacher, and the Rachmaninov Institute in Tambov, Russia, performing and teaching master classes for their Summer Festival. She is a past president of the Seattle Flute Society and served on the programming committee for the National Flute Association in 2001. She was a featured speaker and performer at the 2001 National Flute Convention in Dallas. She is included in the Who's Who of American Women and the Who's Who of Music and Musicians. She has worked closely with a number of composers, including Seattle composers Richard Karpen and Diane ome, especially in the field of electroacoustic music. Bassingthwaighte actively commissions new pieces for solo flute or chamber ensembles, and has been responsible for the commission, performance, and recording of more than 25 new pieces. Dr. Bassingthwaighte Distinguished Members HONORARY MEMBER a woman who achieved international distinction in the music profession & who is not an initiated member of SAI NATIONAL ARTS ASSOCIATE a man or woman who is nationally recognized for distinguished contribution to the arts

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