Freedom music: German and American anti-fascist music of the mid-20th century
Freiheit-Musik [Freedom Music] explores the lives, music, and enduring legacy of artists who used their creative voices to challenge fascism, confront injustice, and defend the freedom of artistic expression.
“Of course I wrote many compositions of concert character...But I am proud of those of my works that have been used in the great struggle against the threat of barbarism and destruction.”
Blitzstein
Brecht
Eisler
Weill
Blitzstein Brecht Eisler Weill
attend a performance
Our recital combines spoken historical context, visual art, and a compelling selection of familiar and rarely performed works to illuminate the anti-fascist cultural movement, the forces that sought to suppress it, and the enduring power of artistic expression.
Meet the performers
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David Anderegg is an accomplished musician with a diverse background in performance, composition, and collaboration. Anderegg began his musical career as a rehearsal pianist for ballet and modern dance companies in the Boston area. Alongside his professional work in psychology, he has remained active as a chamber and solo pianist, including performing with the Anderegg Trio alongside his children. As a composer and arranger, Anderegg’s works include psalm settings, Christmas carols, popular songs, and two chamber operas, What Owls Do and The Beasts. His recent compositions include Songs from a Bad Year inspired by the pandemic, Two Vocalizes for Enrique for two sopranos and piano, and the music theater piece A Bigger Angel. He is currently working on a larger music theater work titled King Toot, and collaborating with wind players from Stockbridge Sinfonia in a series of chamber music concerts.
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Alec Hicks is a tenor from New York’s Capital Region. He earned his degree in Music Education from the College of Saint Rose. Alec has been actively singing with various groups across the Capital Region and the Berkshires for many years, most notably The Saint John’s Collegium Choir, Cantilena Chamber Choir, Concerts in the Village, Berkshire Lyric, Excelsior Vocal Ensemble and many more. He recently appeared in the role of Peter in the Berkshire Lyric production of Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, and as the tenor soloist with the Stockbridge Sinfonia in August of 2026.
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Amy Shake Ortiz is a voice teacher, performer, and music director from Troy, NY. She studied Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Fredonia School of Music, where she subsequently served as Adjunct Instructor of Voice. As a performer, ”steel-clad soprano” Amy Shake has been noted as, “an effervescent delight” with “a great deal of subtlety…in communication of text.” Highlight roles have included Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Cunegonde (Candide), Marian Paroo (The Music Man), First Witch/Spirit (Dido and Aeneas). She has performed roles and scenes throughout the US and Europe including Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre, Mosaic Arts, Saratoga Voices, Hillman Opera, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Octavo Singers, and Lyric Arts International.