Cellist Gretchen Yanover wears two musical hats: one as a composer of spacious string atmospheres, which she performs on electric cello with looping pedal, and one as a classical acoustic cellist.

Yanover began her musical life in Seattle public schools, falling in love with the cello’s deep sound. She pursued both performance and music education at University of Washington, embracing an interwoven path of teaching and performing. Yanover guided students in music for 17 years, while growing her own solo performing career.

She started playing with a loop sampler around 2001 and it changed her musical life, inspiring her to improvise and compose. Yanover performs throughout the Pacific Northwest as a soloist on her electric cello, while continuing her classical music life. She has played with Northwest Sinfonietta orchestra since 1998 and is a member of NW Sinfonietta’s DEI task force, working to make meaningful changes in the classical music culture, along with creating connections in the community. NW Sinfonietta has featured Yanover as a soloist on her electric cello on several occasions.

Yanover has been a Visiting Artist at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, appeared as a soloist for the Earshot Jazz Festival, and presented at TEDx Seattle. She created music for and performed with LeVar Burton for LeVar Burton Reads live, and has had compositions commissioned by Seattle Symphony, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Oregon. Yanover’s artist residencies include Shunpike (2020), Town Hall Seattle (2021), and Seattle Public Library (2024). She was the recipient of a 2023 CityArtist grant from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, which supported the release of her 5th album in 2024.

Follow Yanover:

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Watch Clips:

• Turnaround – Live Cello Music in Seattle
• Playlist

Anastasia Rÿser (she/her) is a Seattle-based artist who has been creating art her entire life. Growing up surrounded by many art forms, she has explored a variety of mediums, with a main focus on traditional 2D visual art.

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• Website
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Seattle artist Tomo Nakayama’s fourth album “Ocean” will be released on November 7th on Porchlight Records/Den Tapes in the USA, and in Japan on Lemon House Inc. Following his breakthrough 2020 synthpop album “Melonday”, “Ocean” is Tomo’s return to a graceful, lush, organic full-band sound, backed by pianist Yuuki Matthews (The Shins), bassist Abbey Blackwell (Alvvays), and drummer Christopher Icasiano (Fleet Foxes) and featuring guest turns by Jesy Fortino (Tiny Vipers) and Debbie Miller. It is his most personal and complete musical statement to date, a self-produced ten song reflection on grief, healing, and the meaning of creating art and maintaining humanity in a tumultuous world. “Ocean” travels across sonic worlds of dream pop, orchestral acoustic folk, jazzy psychedelia and indie rock, all tied together by a wide open melodic and lyrical heart. “Ocean” is a deeply collaborative album awash in images of the sea, serving as metaphors for the vastness of love, human connection, and our capacity to clearly see and be one with the world.

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Tomo Nakayama has explored the lines between intimate indie folk, exuberant synth pop, and cinematic soundtracks for over two decades. Best known for placements in Netflix’s “House of Ninjas” and the Sundance Grand Jury nominated film “Touchy Feely”, Tomo’s music has been praised by NPR, KEXP, and the New York Times, and his hit single “Get to Know You” received over 2 million streams worldwide. He has toured across the world, sharing the stage with artists such as Cornelius, Ron Sexsmith, Fruit Bats, Thao, and Stella Donnelly. A versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, Tomo has also accompanied and collaborated with Dave Matthews, Jeremy Enigk (of Sunny Day Real Estate), Sera Cahoone, Jherek Bischoff, Jesse Sykes, Uwade, Donnie Emerson (Dreamin’ Wild, Light in the Attic), and experimental dance company Malacarne.

Follow Tomo:

• https://www.tomonakayama.com/
• @tomonakayama

Listen to Tomo Nakayama here!

• @laluchaluna

Ricardo Ruiz is a multi-dimensional writer of poetry and prose. The son of potato factory workers, Ricardo hails from Othello, Washington. His work draws from his experience as a first-generation Mexican-American and from his military service. Ricardo holds an Associate Degree in Business and Accounting from Big Bend Community College, where he was recognized as Student of the Year in both Business and Economics, and English Composition. He also holds a Bachelor of Art in Creative Writing from the University of Washington. While in the military, Ricardo earned the rank of Staff Sergeant while serving on four deployments, two to Afghanistan. His debut collection of poetry reached #1 on Amazon’s Hispanic-American Poetry Chart. He is passionate about elevating marginalized voices from rural communities and takes pride in being a conduit for cultural connection.

Learn more about Ruiz here.

Follow Ruiz on Instagram: @poetruiz