WHITNEY MONGÉ RELEASES LIVE ALBUM: WHITNEY MONGÉ LIVE WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Seattle, WA — Seattle-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Whitney Mongé presents a collection of live recordings with the Seattle Symphony and Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Lee Mills, to be released on August 27, 2021. Originally recorded in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium at Benaroya Hall on October 2, 2020, the album features 12 of Mongé’s original songs orchestrated by award-winning composer Andrew Joslyn and performed by the Grammy Award-winning Seattle Symphony.
Amid the shift to virtual performances due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Seattle Symphony utilized its new streaming service, Seattle Symphony Live, to bring the innovative Essential Series to listeners during the orchestra’s 2020–2021 season. The series, featuring cross-genre collaboration with local artists, brought Mongé and the Symphony together for the concert that led to this exciting release.
Leading up to the live recording, Mongé worked closely with composer Andrew Joslyn to create new orchestrations of her original compositions. The result produced a unique blend of Mongé’s blues-inspired artistry and the Symphony’s robust orchestral sound.
“I am so excited to present folks another opportunity to hear this incredible collaboration,” said Mongé. “I believe our livestreamed concert truly was a testament to the strength and resilience of Seattle’s music community, encouraging us to continue forward even in times of uncertainty. I am still flabbergasted at how beautifully each song turned out. I get teary eyed listening back, and I’m so honored by the magical scores from Andrew Joslyn and the performance from the Seattle Symphony conducted by Lee Mills. To me, the goal of my music is to evoke emotion, to encourage people to reflect, to be present. I think we accomplished this on that night in Benaroya Hall, and I am confident we captured that same experience in this album.”
“Whitney Mongé’s songwriting is simultaneously intimate and powerful, often speaking to deep-seated emotions that are difficult to express,” said Mills. “Andrew Joslyn was able to capture this contrast of intimacy and power in his arrangements of the pieces for the Seattle Symphony. I couldn’t have asked for a more fulfilling project during the pandemic.”
The album, titled Whitney Mongé Live with the Seattle Symphony, is set to be released on all major streaming platforms on August 27, 2021; iTunes pre-orders to be available August 22, 2021. Select songs will be available on a limited-edition vinyl album, which is anticipated to be released at year’s end; vinyl pre-orders to be available August 18, 2021.
To obtain a review copy of the release, photos or liner notes, please contact Dinah Lu at press@seattlesymphony.org.
RECORDING DETAILS
WHITNEY MONGÉ
WHITNEY MONGÉ LIVE WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Whitney Mongé vocals & guitar
Lee Mills conductor
Seattle Symphony
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