SONO WAS FOUNDED TO SUSTAIN MUSICAL  PIONEERING IN THE BYWATER

In the Spring of 2014 we embarked on the long road of acquiring and renovating an uninhabited space in New Orleans with the mission to identify and develop optimal environments to foster and present new, original music, sound and visual installation, and creative performance in New Orleans. 

It is the vision of musician Aurora Nealand and curator Lisa Giordano to operate spaces in their community that supports all aspects of creating and playing new music. A Place to host artists that have moved us, that are working in ways we find fascinating, inspiring and unpredictable. Those that have an expressive desire to experience this amazing city through their art or those that artists in our network want to play with or listen to. 

SONO ARTIST RESIDENCIES are individually designed to alleviate some of the common obstacles that stand between the idea and the execution of new work. Too often, these obstacles revolve around time, space and funding. SONO supports original ideas in a comprehensive way, providing resources, encouraging collaboration and creation of art that is independent of commerce.  SONO Artists in Residence may be a touring band with a strong desire to work with New Orleans musicians, a travelling International ensemble seeking a deeper connection to the the New Orleans community or a New Orleans based artist looking for time, space and support to try something new.  

Aurora Nealand is a prolific New Orleans talent. Best known as band leader for her “non-trad” traditional jazz band, The Royal Roses,  Nealand’s creative spirit spans far beyond the music of the 1940’s. In 2013 she was selected to participate in the One Beat project, where musicians from around the world gather for one month to collaboratively write, produce, and perform original music.  Her solo project, Monocle, explores the fringes of artistic expression, drawing on her depth of experience in physical theater, drama and sonic exploration. Her alter ego, rockabilly band, Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers is a New Orleans festival favorite drawing sold–out crowds for their limited and coveted engagements. She also loves to dance.

Lisa Giordano is a passionate advocate of innovation. Her decade as Artist and Community Relations Director for the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival afforded her the opportunity to create diverse programming for a wide range of audiences. Through this work she developed JAZZLAB,  annual, fully funded, work- in-progress recording and experimentation sessions designed for presentation in a contemporary art setting.  Her list of community concerts and international festivals is vast, colorful and  reflects her career-long commitment to creative music.   In addition she has worked in programming and operations for major music events with CMJ and FADER Magazine in New York, NY, Austin, TX and New Orleans, LA. She also loves to dance.

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