About

SONO WAS FOUNDED TO SUSTAIN MUSICAL PIONEERING IN NEW ORLEANS

In Spring 2014 Aurora Nealand and Lisa Giordano began the renovation of a uninhabited space in New Orleans to become a performance lab and home to a rotating series of artists in residence. with a mission is to create the optimal environment to foster and present new, original music, sound and visual installation, and creative performance in New Orleans.

SONO ARTIST OPPORUNITIES are individually designed to alleviate some of the common obstacles that stand between the idea and the execution of new work. SONO supports original ideas in a comprehensive way by providing resources, encouraging collaboration and creation of art that is independent of commerce. SONO artists may be a touring band with a strong desire to work with New Orleans musicians, a travelling International ensemble seeking a deeper connection to the the New Orleans community or a New Orleans based artist looking for time, space and support to try something new.

Aurora Nealand is a prolific New Orleans talent. Best known as band leader for her “non-trad” traditional jazz band, The Royal Roses, Nealand’s creative spirit spans far beyond the music of the 1940’s. In 2013 she was selected to participate in the One Beat project, where musicians from around the world gather for one month to collaboratively write, produce, and perform original music. Her solo project, Monocle, explores the fringes of artistic expression, drawing on her depth of experience in physical theater, drama and sonic exploration. Her alter ego, rockabilly band, Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers is a New Orleans festival favorite drawing sold–out crowds for their limited and coveted engagements. She also loves to dance.

Lisa Giordano is a passionate advocate of innovation. Her decade as Artist and Community Relations Director for the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival afforded her the opportunity to create diverse programming for a wide range of audiences. Through this work she developed JAZZLAB, annual, fully funded, work- in-progress recording and experimentation sessions designed for presentation in a contemporary art setting. Her list of community concerts and international festivals is vast, colorful and reflects her career-long commitment to creative music. In addition she has worked in programming and operations for major music events with CMJ and FADER Magazine in New York, NY, Austin, TX and New Orleans, LA. She also loves to dance.