Skidmore musical opportunities propel Alum's career success

Joanna 舒伯特 ’12, known as Oropendola, recently released a debut full-length album, “Waiting for the Sky to Speak,” with Spirit House Records and Wilbur & 摩尔的记录. Oropendola’s kaleidoscopic chamber pop music blends the orchestral sounds of clarinet, flugelhorn, harp, and strings with synths, drums and bass, piano, and vocal manipulations. 三十个音乐家 and vocalists contributed to the solo artist’s 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. 

“This is my first album of this scale, and the relentless exploration and maximalism felt important to me,’ 舒伯特 says. “And, in such an isolating time, to eventually have so many people involved was a gift.”

The Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and musician majored in music at Skidmore. 她 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 萨拉托加温泉市 for open-mic sessions, and she played her first show of original music at the venue. 在 Skidmania was also a regular highlight. 舒伯特’s love of orchestrating blossomed during her time at the College. 她 credits acclaimed pianist and Skidmore faculty member Pola Baytelman as a “life-changing piano instructor.”

“I had a very rich musical time at Skidmore,” 舒伯特 says. “Zankel was built by the time I was becoming more serious about my music 教育, and I practically lived 在那里. I felt held by the Skidmore music community — students and faculty alike.” 

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