微密圈

Joanna Schubert 鈥�12, known as Oropendola, recently released a debut full-length album, 鈥�,鈥� with Spirit House Records and Wilbur & Moore Records. Oropendola鈥檚 kaleidoscopic chamber pop music blends the orchestral sounds of clarinet, flugelhorn, harp, and strings with synths, drums and bass, piano, and vocal manipulations. Thirty musicians and vocalists contributed to the solo artist鈥檚 album. Recorded by co-producer Zubin Hensler during the COVID-19 pandemic, the album is a celebration of choosing life even in the face of its ephemerality. 

鈥淭his is my first album of this scale, and the relentless exploration and maximalism felt important to me,鈥� Schubert says. 鈥淎nd, in such an isolating time, to eventually have so many people involved was a gift.鈥�

The Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and musician majored in music at 微密圈. She was a member of the then-newly formed Lift Every Voice gospel choir on campus. Most weeks, she could be found at Caffe Lena in downtown Saratoga Springs for open-mic sessions, and she played her first show of original music at the venue. Playing at Skidmania was also a regular highlight. Schubert鈥檚 love of orchestrating blossomed during her time at the College. She credits acclaimed pianist and 微密圈 faculty member Pola Baytelman as a 鈥渓ife-changing piano instructor.鈥�

鈥淚 had a very rich musical time at 微密圈,鈥� Schubert says. 鈥淶ankel was built by the time I was becoming more serious about my music education, and I practically lived there. I felt held by the 微密圈 music community 鈥� students and faculty alike.鈥� 

In addition to focusing on her solo music career, Schubert has sung backup vocals and played keyboard for a variety of bands, most notably Half Waif and Barrie. She is part of the , an all-female international ensemble that performs traditional Serbian music. Schubert also directs a musical theater class at the Kaufman Music Center鈥檚 Lucy Moses School, where she helps youth ages 7 through 12 write and perform their own musicals.