About Resonance Works
Who We Are
Resonance Works is a Pittsburgh-based performing arts non-profit that empowers musicians and inspires audiences with intimate, genre-defying productions featuring everything from opera and musical theatre to orchestral, choral, and chamber music. Through a mix of evocative new works and timeless classics, we challenge traditional assumptions about classical music and invite audiences to connect with the work in fresh and unexpected ways.
“The performance was amazing in every way!”
Our Work
Performed in the intimacy of small theatres, churches, art galleries, and even cemeteries, our productions heighten the soul-stirring experience of live music by bringing audiences and artists into close proximity. Grounded by our exceptional Resonance Chamber Orchestra, each season incorporates multiple genres and performance styles, ranging from fully-staged opera to orchestral and chamber music.
Our work is shaped by collaborations with nationally and internationally recognized artists, whose creative vision and immense talents generate the foundation for each Resonance Works production. Through these dynamic partnerships, we create musical experiences that highlight the artists’ voices and speak to urgent contemporary issues. We also partner with a variety of performing arts organizations to create cross-genre productions that bring classical music into conversation with dance, contemporary music, theatre, and more.
Resonance Works harnesses the transformational power of music to engage audiences, spark conversations, and connect people across generations. We are committed to programming at least half of the works in a season by women and a third by creators who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, with the goal of normalizing equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and in the industry as a whole.
“This was astonishingly good Bach!”
Our History
Resonance Works was founded in 2013 by Pittsburgh native Maria Sensi Sellner, a versatile and innovative classical conductor praised for bringing a “welcome infusion of sophistication and diversity” to Pittsburgh’s cultural landscape. Since its inception, Resonance Works has been instrumental in maintaining a rich and vibrant community of professional musicians in the region. Our cross-genre programming has led to numerous artistic partnerships in dance, theatre, photography, and visual art, as well as collaborations with community organizations. Resonance Works has produced beloved operas, rare and new concert works, and performances, including 12 world premieres and dozens of regional premieres, living out its mission to bring inspiring musical experiences by globally renowned performers to Pittsburgh stage
