Portland State Magazine

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TRANSLATIONS Portland State Chamber Choir NAXOS RECORDS

Portland State Chamber Choir’s newest album, “Translations,” was named a May 2020 Editor’s Choice by Gramophone magazine in its roundup of the best new classical albums. The magazine’s review of the seven-work recording praises the “immaculate” artistry and “luscious choral textures” of the ensemble, led by Ethan Sperry. “For those seeking comfort and an escape from the manifold stresses and uncertainties currently facing mankind,” writes critic Malcolm Riley, “there will be much in this new collection of choral music by Ēriks Ešenvalds that will warm the soul and give solace.” The 42-student Chamber Choir’s 2017 release, “The Doors of Heaven,” was the first recording by a university ensemble to ever hit No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Chart.

THAT PLACE WHERE YOU OPENED YOUR HANDS Susan Moore MA ’04 UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS PRESS Recipient of the 2019 Juniper Prize for Poetry, this book explores identity, bringing the ordinary rhythms of life and motherhood into coexistence with wilder truths. As Moore writes, “If I can’t be singular / in purpose, let me be quietly adrift.” Moore earned a master’s in writing from PSU, and her work has appeared in such outlets as Poetry Northwest, Willow Springs, New York Quarterly and Quick Fiction.

PASS WITH CARE Cooper Lee Bombardier MA ’12 MFA ’14 DOTTIR PRESS Bombardier’s first book, a collection of personal essays, poetry and interview transcripts, ofers a bridge between queer and trans generations, revealing a unique reckoning with what it means to become a man today. Named one of “10 Transgender Artists Who Are Changing the Landscape of Contemporary Art” by The Hufington Post, Bombardier earned a master’s in book publishing from PSU in 2012 and a master’s in fine arts in 2014.

SILVERWORLD Diana Abu-Jaber, English faculty CROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS This middle-grade fantasy novel follows the story of a Lebanese- American girl who finds the courage to save her grandmother from a mysterious sickness. Searching for answers, she casts a spell from her grandmother’s charm book and falls through a mirror into another world. Abu- Jaber teaches English at PSU and is the author of “Crescent,” which was awarded the 2004 PEN Center USA Award for Literary Fiction and the American Book Award. This is her first novel for children.

ALICIA VIANI Alicia Viani MSW ’09 INDEPENDENT RELEASE

Alicia Viani’s self-titled debut is a collection of aching ballads and insightful storytelling that draws on her experiences as a clinical social worker. The album hit No. 4 on The Folk Chart, with two titles in particular resonating as songs of the time: “Good Man,” about a white man who witnesses a racist incident and does nothing, and “Lonesome For You,” about a longing for closeness. A folk singer based in Bend, Oregon, Viani earned her master’s in social work at PSU in 2009.

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