who we are

We’re Ariadne and Nate, the founder-directors of the Uncommon Music Festival.

UMF is a chance for us to bring what we love - to sing, to create, and to curate - to Sitka, Alaska.

Over the years, we’ve collaborated with dozens of community members and organizations on projects that speak to this place and its people. We’ve commissioned new musical works that set poetry by local writers, and we’ve sung in Sitka’s churches, concert halls, and national park. Along the way we’ve made wonderful friends that we look forward to sharing our music with every year.

uncommon music
in Sitka
since 2016

We founded the Uncommon Music Festival in 2016.

Ariadne grew up in Montreal, QC and Nate grew up in Rochester, NY, so people often ask: “Why Sitka?”

The short answer is:

  • Ariadne and Nate were good friends and fellow music majors in college who loved working together (we still do!)

  • In the summer of 2015 Nate was a young artist in the Sitka Fellows Program, and while he was there made great friends in the community and fell in love with the place

  • When Nate wanted to return the following summer to make more music, he asked Ariadne if she’d join him - and the Uncommon Music Festival was born

our partners

Each year’s festival is a true collaboration between us and our community partners. They’re the leaders, artists, and organizers that connect us to Sitka.

Past partners have included:

St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka Lutheran Church
University of Alaska Southeast Whale Lab
Artchange, Inc.
Greater Sitka Arts Council
Sitka Pioneer Home
Sitka Sacred Harp
Sitka Sound Science Center
Hames Corporation
White’s Pharmacy
Beak Restaurant
Sitka Fine Arts Camp
Ishmael Hope
Carolyn Servid
Bob Sam

our artists

Over the years, we’ve brought a number of wonderful performing artists and engineers that have shared their talents and passions with the Sitka community. We’re extremely grateful for their contributions to the festival.

Sylvia Leith, mezzo-soprano*
Jacob Reed, organ and piano*
Andy Berry, bass*
Warner Iversen, theorbo*
Edmund Milly, bass
Arash Noori, theorbo and lute
Zachary Milliman, tenor
Rocky Bostick, audio-visual engineer
Emil Ernstrom, audio engineer
Will Doreza, bass-baritone
Josh Stauffer, theorbo, baroque guitar, and lute
Clara Gerdes, organ and piano


*denotes founding artist