About Shepherdess
Shepherdess is a duo based in New York City, featuring violinist Hajnal Pivnick and mezzo soprano Kayleigh Butcher. Hajnal and Kayleigh are both contemporary classical performers dedicated to commissioning and disseminating new works by living American composers.
This duo introduces new works into the voice and violin repertoire that are written by women, people of color, and LGBTQIAs. Each composer has a distinctive compositional voice, drawing their writing inspiration from American folk influences, instrumental and vocal extended techniques, and the intersection of social politics and music.
Shepherdess was supported by New Music USA in 2018, which was made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Helen F. Whitaker Fund, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, New York State Council on the Arts, Rockefeller Brothers Fund & Anonymous.
Shepherdess was also supported by the Brooklyn Arts Fund (DCLA) in 2019, which is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).
This duo introduces new works into the voice and violin repertoire that are written by women, people of color, and LGBTQIAs. Each composer has a distinctive compositional voice, drawing their writing inspiration from American folk influences, instrumental and vocal extended techniques, and the intersection of social politics and music.
Shepherdess was supported by New Music USA in 2018, which was made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Helen F. Whitaker Fund, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, New York State Council on the Arts, Rockefeller Brothers Fund & Anonymous.
Shepherdess was also supported by the Brooklyn Arts Fund (DCLA) in 2019, which is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).
