An Interview with Roxanna Walitzki '05

After graduating from OES in 2005, Roxanna attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (2006-2010), and received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. She continued her studies at NYU Steinhardt, where she received a Master of Music in Classical Voice and Opera Performance (2012). Following higher education, Roxanna moved to Seattle to pursue her career as a classical singer, electronic producer, photographer, and video artist. In 2019, Roxanna’s multidisciplinary work took her on a year-long tour throughout Europe with artist sibling Redd Walitzki '03, where she gave performances and participated in artist residencies, while also creating collaborative work with Redd. When the pandemic upended their travels in 2020, Roxanna returned to Seattle and continues to develop her craft, finding new ways to reinvent classical music for modern audiences. Her latest release, Amor Fati, reimagines sacred baroque arias by Bach and Vivaldi with downtempo beats and experimental sound-design. 

What elements of your experience at OES did you take into your career/projects?
OES taught me to ask questions, think critically, take initiative, and not to take for granted how things are done, which has been a huge asset in my continued education and work. Classical music can be a very static field; things are done the way they have been done, and challenging that takes a lot of courage. My experience at OES encouraged me to think dynamically and scientifically about issues, which played a role in trying to find new ways to present classical music.

How would you say OES helped you get to where you are?
When I set out to pursue a career as an artist, I didn’t quite realize how much administrative work would go into it. Everything from writing press-releases, artist statements, album notes, and creating promotional materials, to designing websites, falls on your shoulders. During higher education and beyond, it's been very apparent to me how well OES set me up to tackle these various elements. I’m very grateful for the creative and critical writing skills I gained at OES, which have helped me articulate the meaning and message behind my work. Beyond that, OES taught me to balance and switch between a multitude of intellectual tasks, which is a huge asset in the work that I do.

On the most direct level, I felt very supported and encouraged by the music department at OES. I am especially grateful to Sue Jensen, who accompanied me for many solo performances at the school, and connected me to my first extra-curricular professional gigs. The community support I received at OES has extended well beyond my time there, and I was thrilled to collaborate with Angelika Furtwangler (principal viola at Vancouver Symphony, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and OES Lower School beginning and intermediate strings teacher), on my latest album. 

What's your favorite part about doing what you do?
While it’s impossible to choose just one thing, following the initial creative spark is probably at the top of my list. There’s really nothing like feeling inspired (be it about music, visuals, or an abstract concept), and then taking those first steps to make something from the imagination.