Music

Gabriel von Eisenstein (David Cangelosi) is pulled in two separate directions by his wife Rosalinda (Sara Radke Brown, right) and Rosalinda’s maid, Adele (Kayla Kohlhase, left) during a dress rehearsal of “Die Fledermaus” on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Lyric Opera celebrates a chorus of community for 50th anniversary

German operetta “Die Fledermaus” that launched JLO gets revival with old and new voices Friday night.

 

Jonas Nordwall performs a noontime concert on the 1928 Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ at the State Office Building on Friday. Weekly concerts featuring various performers at the instrument draw between 20 to 50 people, according to an official at the Alaska State Museum, which owns the organ. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Century-old theater organ in State Office Building at ‘tipping point’ for decision on long-term repairs

Officials say up to $300K needed for rebuilding to keep it playable for decades; otherwise “it’ll die.”

 

From left to right: Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne, formerly of The Supremes with Joyce Vincent. (Former Ladies of The Supremes collection)

‘Supreme Sisters’: Former Ladies of The Supremes will perform in Juneau

Legendary trio will perform classic R&B show Aug. 10 at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall.

 

Killah Priest performs at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center in December 2019. (Photo courtesy of Lance Mitchell)

Killah Priest sets new record with Alaskan artists on ‘Alaska Borealis’

Wu-Tang Clan rapper seeks to lift Alaskan voices and culture in his return performance to Juneau

Killah Priest performs at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center in December 2019. (Photo courtesy of Lance Mitchell)
The Gustavus band Cross Sound performs at the second annual Burning Pines rock concert in Gustavus on Saturday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

Burning for a live and local rock concert? Find it in Gustavus

Newly built stage offers second annual Burning Pines concert the “home” it’s been missing

The Gustavus band Cross Sound performs at the second annual Burning Pines rock concert in Gustavus on Saturday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Buddy Tabor performs at Resurrection Lutheran Church in January 2009. Albert McDonnell and his daughter Hazel are shown at left. (Juneau Empire file photo)

Buddy Tabor’s folk music hits global streaming platforms

Online re-release of Juneau musician’s 1998 album occurring during this week’s Alaska Folk Festival.

Buddy Tabor performs at Resurrection Lutheran Church in January 2009. Albert McDonnell and his daughter Hazel are shown at left. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Josh Fortenbery records a song from his debut album “No Such Thing as Forever” while sitting in an improvised sound isolation booth at the KTOO studios in early 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Struggles of isolation and support of community come together for launch of debut album

Josh Fortenbery’s “No Such Thing As Forever” available Friday, with two-show release party Saturday.

Josh Fortenbery records a song from his debut album “No Such Thing as Forever” while sitting in an improvised sound isolation booth at the KTOO studios in early 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
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Students in the Juneau Alaska Music Matters program perform for members of the Alaska Legislature and other attendees at an event Feb. 6 at the Alaska State Museum. (Photo by Emily Ferry)

Neighbors: Juneau Alaska Music Matters program receives state and national awards

For over 20 years Lorrie Heagy has been leading arts education integration in Juneau. This month the Alaska Arts Education Consortium awarded Lorrie the Arts… Continue reading

Students in the Juneau Alaska Music Matters program perform for members of the Alaska Legislature and other attendees at an event Feb. 6 at the Alaska State Museum. (Photo by Emily Ferry)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball coach Jody Levernier takes a photo of players who are joined by family and friends during Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 28, at JDHS. On Tuesday the Juneau Board of Education unanimously approved changing the name of the gym to the George Houston Gymnasium, following the death earlier this year of the longtime local coach. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS gym renamed George Houston Gymnasium to honor longtime former basketball coach

School board’s unanimous vote occurs on night when dozens of title-winning athletes also honored.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball coach Jody Levernier takes a photo of players who are joined by family and friends during Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 28, at JDHS. On Tuesday the Juneau Board of Education unanimously approved changing the name of the gym to the George Houston Gymnasium, following the death earlier this year of the longtime local coach. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire The women of the Kit Kat Club in “Cabaret” take center stage during a rehearsal Monday night at McPhetres Hall for the production by Theatre in the Rough that opens Friday

Director says history is repeating itself, old chum

“Cabaret” kicks off at McPhetres Hall on Friday, with free previews Tuesday and Thursday

Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire The women of the Kit Kat Club in “Cabaret” take center stage during a rehearsal Monday night at McPhetres Hall for the production by Theatre in the Rough that opens Friday
Participants in the Juneau Alaska Music Matters program perform on Alaska Native drums at Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱ Glacier Valley Elementary School. (Photo courtesy of Juneau Alaska Music Matters)

JAMM among 11 finalists for four $500,000 national Accelerator Awards

Winners of fifth annual awards for youth music programs scheduled to be announced in January.

Participants in the Juneau Alaska Music Matters program perform on Alaska Native drums at Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱ Glacier Valley Elementary School. (Photo courtesy of Juneau Alaska Music Matters)
Tanner Johnson, playing the role of Candide, rehearses Tuesday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The operetta “Candide” is based on Stephen Sondheim’s adaptation of the classic novella by Voltaire. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

Juneau Symphony and Lyric Opera team up for ‘Candide’

Ensemble includes 60-chair symphony, 40-person chorus, seven actors.

Tanner Johnson, playing the role of Candide, rehearses Tuesday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. The operetta “Candide” is based on Stephen Sondheim’s adaptation of the classic novella by Voltaire. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)
Artists with the inaugural Áak’w Rock Festival gather beneath the mural of Elizabeth Peratrovich on the Juneau waterfront on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. That festival was virtual that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers wanted to open the event in person. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Áak’w Rock expanding to three stages

The Indigenous music festival is back and bringing 24 acts to Juneau

Artists with the inaugural Áak’w Rock Festival gather beneath the mural of Elizabeth Peratrovich on the Juneau waterfront on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. That festival was virtual that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers wanted to open the event in person. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Annie Bartholomew plays a song from her upcoming debut album “Sisters of White Chapel” on a clawhammer banjo on a bench at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on Thursday. The longtime local folk musician said she learned the instrument specifically for the project, and both the character of the instrument and women who played it during the Klondike Gold Rush helped inspire the mostly original songs she performs on the album. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Musical revelations of the Klondike’s ‘White Chapel’

Annie Bartholomew’s new album shares surprising untold stories of sex workers during the gold rush

Annie Bartholomew plays a song from her upcoming debut album “Sisters of White Chapel” on a clawhammer banjo on a bench at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park on Thursday. The longtime local folk musician said she learned the instrument specifically for the project, and both the character of the instrument and women who played it during the Klondike Gold Rush helped inspire the mostly original songs she performs on the album. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
This image, which uses a photo by Alyssa Patrick, shows the cover of "Sonus," a new album from Sean Patrick of Gustavus. The album was made available on streaming on Wednesday, April 20, and can be ordered on CD. (Courtesy Photo / Alyssa Patrick)

Big sound from a small town: Gustavus man releases hard-rocking album

Play it loud.

This image, which uses a photo by Alyssa Patrick, shows the cover of "Sonus," a new album from Sean Patrick of Gustavus. The album was made available on streaming on Wednesday, April 20, and can be ordered on CD. (Courtesy Photo / Alyssa Patrick)
Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Top brass turns out for event at State Museum

Free performance puts a capt on a busy season.

Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
The Coast Guard Band, seen here, plays as a 55-member ensemble. The band will be traveling through Juneau and Anchorage in April as part of their “Ready for the Call” tour. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)

Coast Guard band comes to the Last Frontier

“Ready for the Call” tour in Juneau and Anchorage in April.

The Coast Guard Band, seen here, plays as a 55-member ensemble. The band will be traveling through Juneau and Anchorage in April as part of their “Ready for the Call” tour. (Courtesy Photo / U.S. Coast Guard)
Courtesy Photo / Nora Canfield Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kyshona Armstrong, who performs music under just her first name, poses for a photo with her guitar. Kyshona will be performing at the Crystal Saloon and 7 p.m. on Wednesday with her bandmates Nickie Conley and Shannon LaBrie.

‘Music of the people and for the people’ comes to Juneau

Kyshona’s local performance is part of small Alaska tour.

Courtesy Photo / Nora Canfield Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kyshona Armstrong, who performs music under just her first name, poses for a photo with her guitar. Kyshona will be performing at the Crystal Saloon and 7 p.m. on Wednesday with her bandmates Nickie Conley and Shannon LaBrie.
This screenshot shows the MusicAlaska Spotify page. The nonprofit's Alaska Playlist project includes an array of playlists dedicated to Alaska bands and artists across a wide array of genres. However, it's just one of the ways MusicAlaska, a partner of Alaska Independent Music Initiative, intends to catalog and promote the state's music scene. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Land of the list: Spotify and directories could further connect Alaska’s music scene

“The algorithm is hard on all of us,” but maybe it doesn’t have to be.

This screenshot shows the MusicAlaska Spotify page. The nonprofit's Alaska Playlist project includes an array of playlists dedicated to Alaska bands and artists across a wide array of genres. However, it's just one of the ways MusicAlaska, a partner of Alaska Independent Music Initiative, intends to catalog and promote the state's music scene. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Kat Moore and a group of volunteer singers sang mid way through the Alaska Music Summit on Saturday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. Moore was a speaker and performer at the event who traveled from Anchorage to attend. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Keynote speakers: Summit celebrates Alaska’s diverse musical ecosystem

Alaska Music Summit held in Juneau for the first time.

Kat Moore and a group of volunteer singers sang mid way through the Alaska Music Summit on Saturday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. Moore was a speaker and performer at the event who traveled from Anchorage to attend. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)