Our Mission

Verdigris Ensemble’s mission is to transform our world through an alchemy of immersive storytelling and the power of human voice. 

We create a new music movement by commissioning works and exploring diverse genres to tell compelling stories. 

We invest in musicians through education and community engagement. 

We redefine vocal music through creative programming and technological innovation. 

Our Values

CREATIVITY

We are storytellers driven by relentless pursuit of artistic creativity and excellence.

COMMUNITY

We deeply value our community and foster responsive and meaningful connections.

INNOVATION

We are risk-takers pushing boundaries with cutting edge concepts and technologies. 

Our Leaders

  • Sam Brukhman

    FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

  • Sam Melnick

    SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ADMINISTRATOR

Our Board of Directors

  • Teresa Bond

    BOARD PRESIDENT

  • Jamie Winholtz

    BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

  • Kita McCray

    SECRETARY

  • Jon Hess

    TREASURER

  • Carson Dorsey

    PRESIDENT EMERITUS

  • Keith Mankin

    PRESIDENT EMERITUS

  • Ashley Sage

    DEVELOPMENT CHAIR

  • Patricia Yakesch

    MARKETING CHAIR

  • Sonali Ved

    STRATEGY CHAIR

  • Keshav Dimri

  • Taylor Hawks

  • Kamal Khan

  • Ogie Markovic

  • A woman with shoulder-length wavy hair smiles warmly. She wears a navy blouse with white dots. The background is softly blurred in a modern indoor space.

    Farah Padamsee

  • Leslie Tipping

  • Jacki Miller

    CHOIR LIAISON

VERDIGRIS ENSEMBLE DIVERSITY STATEMENT

At Verdigris Ensemble, we recognize the systemic racial and other inequities in our society and our industry and believe it is our duty to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility for all people and to combat racism, injustice and inequality. 

As we continue to have conversations both internally and within the community at large, we will aim to move forward to reach this goal in the most effective ways possible. 

We make the following commitments for our organization: 

We will make every effort to develop a more diverse and inclusive audience and community base. This will include enhancing our outreach throughout all segments of our community. 

We will be intentional about partnering with organizations that represent BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to bring the highest quality and most honest art, creating cultural exchange and appreciation, not appropriation. 

Our programs will reflect relevant issues that bring attention to the historic and current stories and concerns of our community.

We will make efforts to program existing works by BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women composers and, wherever possible, will commission and encourage new compositions by them. 

Our W. E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy residency will continue to promote a more diverse choral ecosystem in Dallas by maintaining student mentorship and music opportunities even after students graduate from the program. We will try to enhance our outreach through similar programs in other schools within our community. 

We will advocate other thought-leaders to follow suit through content media and further engagement. 

We realize that combating inequity requires thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and the willingness to listen and learn. We commit, as a board and as a community, to adapt our strategic planning to prioritize diversity of the Board of Directors, staff and ensemble and to constantly strive to integrate education into the fiber of our organization, to advance racial healing, equity, and diversity to learn how to most effectively address, program, and promote BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women composers, musicians, and artists.”



Approved by the Board of Directors
December 7, 2020