Molly Pease, mezzo-soprano, and David Bergstedt, piano

Program

Pamela Madsen: Longing (Tesknota) Song Cycle from In America: Modjeska (2025) World Premiere
Molly Pease, mezzo-soprano, David Bergstedt, piano

I. Lost Father
II. Hymn to the Earth
III. A Tree Ascended There
IV. Arden
V. Parallel Disasters-Loss and Gain

Intermission

Fredric Rzewski: “Which Side Are You On?” from North American Ballads
David Bergstedt, piano

Pamela Madsen: Proof and Disproof (an opera for one alone)… Movement V -VII.
Molly Pease, Mezzo-soprano, and David Bergstedt, piano

Molly Pease-From I to We,
Molly Pease, voice, David Bergstedt, piano

Molly Pease: “Recovery Family”,
A Capella  voice, Molly Pease

Pamela Madsen: Neried’s Lyre—the Singing of the Waves
Molly Pease, voice, David Bergstedt, piano and CSUF New Music Ensemble

Pauline Oliveros: from Four Meditations-Approaches and Departures .
Molly Pease, voice, David Bergstedt, piano and CSUF New Music Ensemble

CSUF New Music Ensemble, Artistic Director, Pamela Madsen, Director, Eric Dries

About the Artists

Molly Pease is a GRAMMY-winning LA-based vocal artist and composer whose singing has been described as “sonically mesmerizing” (LA Weekly) and her genre-defying compositions described as “achingly gorgeous” (New Classic LA). Known for her singular interpretations of music in a range of styles, Molly brings expressiveness and theatricality to every performance. She is well-versed in folk, jazz, classical, opera, experimental, contemporary, and improvisational music. Passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, she merges music, movement, and visuals in her work; performing in and composing for operas, albums, and concerts.

Molly uses improvisation and extended vocal techniques to achieve an ethereal sound described by Emerging Indie Bands as “not of this world,” and draws listeners in with memorable melodies and textural harmonic soundscapes. She is inspired by nature and speaks honestly about mental health in her music.  Molly is currently working with librettist Divya Maus on a new opera exploring myths and truths about women called HYSTERIA, for which she was awarded Opera America’s 2025 Discovery Grant for Women Composers. It builds upon Molly’s work that centered around women and the supernatural during her residency with Barcelona-based Cel del Nord in November 2020. As a performer, Molly has worked with numerous companies and ensembles, in addition to her solo work.

Recent performances include Songs and Dances of Imaginary Lands (Sue) and Cynossema: A Dirge from the Dog’s Tomb (Kassandra) with Overtone Industries, The Marvelous Puppet Show with theatre dybbuk, Outcast at the Gate (Ismene) with Impulse New Music Festival, Conference of the Birds (Soloist) with the Resonance Collective, and Sweet Land (Soloist) with The Industry. A specialist in new music vocal performance, she has also performed on the world premiere of Sidney Hopson’s Through the Looking Glass with Wild Up, Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians with the TAPS LA Music Festival, and Stockhausen’s Stimmung with HEX. Molly is a member and assistant director of the experimental vocal sextet HEX, and regularly performs with LA Master Chorale, LA Choral Lab, and Tonality. She has performed with Björk, Tune-Yards, Sigur Rós, and Kronos Quartet. Film and TV credits include vocals on The Legend of Ochi (2025), Down Low (2024), Shoes Off (2023), Hulu’s Castle Rock (2019), and CBS’s Strange Angel (2019).

Molly completed her MFA in Jazz Studies at California Institute of the Arts in 2017, and received her BFA at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.

Recently named “Favorite Vocal Recital” by L.A. Audience Choice Awards for her appearance with Stacey Fraser at Monk Space.

David Bergstedt is a versatile Southern California pianist who is currently on staff in the vocal area of Cal State Fullerton’s School of Music. In that role, he accompanies and coaches in the choral and opera programs. He has performed with the orchestra and combined choirs in the Requiems of Mozart and Brahms as well as the premiere of Pamela Madsen’s “Oratorio for the Earth.” He has worked as a collaborative pianist and organist around the region for many years, and he has had past positions at Villa Park High School and the Village Community Presbyterian Church in Rancho Santa Fe. New music has always been a significant interest of David’s, and he was the inaugural pianist for the Orange County new music ensemble Choral Arts Initiative and has premiered student compositions at CSUF and ASU. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance at CSUF, studying with Eduardo Delgado and Ning An and performing in jazz and new music ensembles. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Dr. Baruch Meir at Arizona State University and has participated in piano and chamber music festivals in Italy, Germany, and Hungary.