Artist Profile


Jennifer Stevens

Jennifer Stevens

Classical

Green Bay

Wisconsin

USA

Jennifer M. Stevens, an American lyric spinto soprano, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is considered a multi-faceted vocalist and visual artist and of Oglala Lakota and Oneida descent. Music has been a major part of Stevens’ life; she started out with taking piano lessons at age 8, singing in choirs, taking voice lessons, and with her parents playing Pavarotti; she grew a great appreciation for classical music and opera early on in her life. Stevens voice has been described as having a rich timbre and expansive range of three octaves (E3-E6); in combination with her high notes and agility-Stevens makes for a versatile operatic soprano. Stevens’ voice teachers claim that Jennifer Stevens is truly made for Italian classical singing. Stevens loves to sing beautiful, lush, romantic, and dramatic Italian arias, especially by Puccini. In the same token, while singing for the Italian Club of Green Bay, she has recently discovered Bel Canto arias by Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini are also right down her alley. Stevens’ audiences note Stevens for her emotional expressiveness, musicality, and soulfulness, and been told many of times that she can reach into your heart and soul with her music. Today Stevens is a concert soprano recitalist and soloist performing standard repertoire such as; art songs, oratorio, sacred song, musical theatre, opera arias, and new music. Stevens has studied both in college and privately for the past 20 years and she is currently the student of Margaret Colbert. Margaret Colbert has recently returned to the states from Darmstadt, Germany, whom specialized in performing the roles of Tosca, Aida, and Turandot in Germany and Austria. Stevens is also an up and coming contemporary classical composer where she is writing original songs for her recitals and solo performances. Stevens original works and vocals are getting recognition and noted as... \"Riveting, lyrical, mesmerizing, romantic, and soulful.\" Stevens’ original recital works are sung in English and occasionally in the Oneida language-written primarily for piano and voice. With the exploration in writing Stevens’ own art songs for recital she has been inspired to release her first classical CD in 2012 called, Ol^•ná, (Oh-luuh-nah) meaning song or prayer in the Oneida language. Her future CD will have standard classical repertoire of “songs and prayers” that will entail; art songs, oratorio (sacred song), opera arias, and her original art songs and Native American prayers. Stevens continues to share her love for music and performing in various venues such as; The Green Bay Civic Symphony, Choir Student Recitals in Germany, Austria, and Italy, Native American Music Awards, Club Italo-Americano, First Nation Composer Initiatives Concerts, Heard Museum in partnership with the Arizona Opera, Oneida Nation Museum, Indian Summer Music Festival, MacPhail Center for Music, and will be performing at the Meyer Theatre of Green Bay both November 5, 2011 and April 24, 2012. Jennifer Stevens is also being featured in a documentary called \"The Lesson,\" produced by Eileen Littig and Dean Thomas. The NEWIST/CESA 7 and ETP-NEW Documentary, “The Lesson,” will soon be released and viewed on Wisconsin Public Television in 2012.

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Dear Friend, Illuminating the cultural brilliance of our people is a core belief at First Nations Composer Initiative (FNCI pronounced “fancy”). It is a driver in how we go about our business supporting, advocating and assisting our First Nations & American Indian music-makers. You see, for us, it is a joy and honor to be able to experience and support the enormous talents of our people! To date FNCI has given $400,000 to our First Nations/American Indian music-making communities. This coming year is going to be a monumental one. This is your invitation to join us. In keeping with our founding members vision of one day becoming our very own non-profit organization. On Monday, July 2nd FNCI officially moved out of the ACF offices in St. Paul and relocated to Minneapolis. Yes, we did it. Parting with ACF in a good way, we have now embarked upon our journey to becoming our very own arts service organization. We want you to join us. To assist us with this transition we have amassed a stellar task force; Ms. LaVon Lee (Lakota, Grotto Foundation), Ms. Ardie Medina (Lac du Flambeau Anishinaabe, Minnesota Museum of American Art), Ms. Joy Persall (Ojibwe, former Executive Director, Native Americans in Philanthropy), Ms. Mona Smith, (Dakota, Multi-media Artist), Mr. Patrick Scully (Founder, Patrick’s Cabaret), and Mr. David O’Fallon (CEO, Minnesota Humanities). These wise people are assisting us as we navigate the pathway toward becoming a sustainable not for profit organization. To ensure that we will be providing the most appropriate services to our communities.  FNCI is embarking upon a yearlong journey of self-discovery.  During which we will be visiting nine locations throughout the U.S. Our job will be to converse with and listen to our music-making community, securing authentic needs as well as identifying engaged community members. (With training these invested community members will become FNCI’s first ambassadors.) In 2013, FNCI will continue with its signature programming; The Indigenous Music & Movies in the Park series, Common Ground and Music Education. We are committed to quality music education programming only now we have established parameters and they are the poorest with least access. To ensure that our evaluation efforts are culturally competent we will enlist the services of a Native American evaluator. This is your invitation to join us! We are aligning with highly respected institutions that have a national reach such as The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Indian in New York City, The Berklee School of Music in Boston, The McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul as well as The MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. So come along. We want you to get a bird’s eye view of our monumental journey as we move towards becoming a national not-for-profit organization. We are looking for spirited individuals to support in our vision. Join Us! Please take a few minutes today and consider making a contribution to First Nations Composer Initiative (FNCI). Our goal is to raise $8,000 with this appeal. To make a fast and secure donation online please copy & paste http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/profile?id=7050 to your web browser or if you would rather pay by check please make it out to Fractured Atlas then write First Nations Composer Initiative in the memo section and mail the check to FNCI P.O. Box 2642, Minneapolis, MN First Nations Composer Initiative (FNCI) is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of FNCI must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. What else can you do? You can quadruple our efforts by forwarding this appeal to (4) of your friends, associates and family members who would be supportive of our work. Let them know why you feel our work is important. You can also let your friends know about us by sharing our Facebook page. We are at an important moment in the cycle our life. Every gift counts. Please consider making a donation to FNCI.  We are so very honored to be working with our music-maker communities, please join us. Do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions or suggestions. Please support our American Indian & First Nations music-makers today!   Respectfully, Kohl Miner (Ho-Chunk)  and Jewell Arcoren (Dakota) Executive Director  and Program Director 651-336-8078 and 612-385-7528 First Nations Composer Initiative P.O. Box 2642 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 – www.fnci.org

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