About Music of Remembrance

Music of Remembrance is a Seattle-based performing arts organization dedicated to honoring human rights and social justice through music. It was founded in 1998 by pianist and musical scholar Mina Miller, who continues to lead the organization's artistic vision.

Music of Remembrance is a performing arts organization focused on human rights and social justice. Founded in 1998, it has evolved from an initial focus on Holocaust remembrance to honoring the resilience of all people excluded or persecuted for their faith, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.

Music of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by pianist and scholar Mina Miller. She continues to lead the organization's artistic vision and remains closely tied to its commissioning work and identity.

MOR was created to find, preserve, and perform music by composers who were silenced during the Holocaust, so that their voices and stories would not be lost. Over the years its mission has grown to honor the resilience of all people who have been persecuted or excluded because of their faith, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality.


MOR presents chamber music, song cycles, choral works, dance music, film scores, musical dramas, and fully staged operas that honor the resilience of all people who have been excluded or persecuted because of their faith, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality.

No. Holocaust remembrance is central to MOR's origins and remains part of its work, but the organization now performs pieces that reflect a much wider range of human rights stories. Recent programs have addressed the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, families separated at borders, the Armenian genocide, the experiences of refugees, and other struggles against persecution.

No. Music of Remembrance is a performing arts nonprofit, not a religious organization. Holocaust remembrance is central to its history, but its programs honor people of many faiths, backgrounds, and identities who have faced persecution. You do not need any particular background or belief to be moved by the concerts.

Yes. Through its commissioning program, Testimonies for Tomorrow, MOR has launched more than 50 new works by leading contemporary artists. This program is one of the things that sets the organization apart, allowing MOR to bring urgent and often untold human rights stories to the stage.

MOR's commissioning program, Testimonies for Tomorrow, is one of a kind and has launched more than 50 works by leading contemporary composers. Its Holocaust remembrance programs honor not only Jewish victims, but also Roma, LGBTQ+ people, dissidents, and others who were targeted. MOR also brings urgent stories to the stage, including the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, the Armenian genocide, the horrors of nuclear war, the experiences of Black and Native Americans, and contemporary struggles involving immigrants, refugees, and religious intolerance.

Concerts and Performance Locations

In Seattle, we produce four concerts each season at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall. We also perform every year at San Francisco's Presidio Theatre, usually in May. We have recently also performed in Chicago and San Diego.

Each program pairs music with real human stories of courage and resilience, so concerts are moving and emotionally powerful. You do not have to be a classical music enthusiast to connect with the performances. Audiences range widely in age and background. Performances are generally under two hours, including introductory remarks about the background of the pieces.

Yes. MOR produces professional-quality recordings of almost all its performances and frequently makes works available for special on-demand streaming. You can join our mailing list to receive newsletters that announce these streamed works.

Listen on Spotify, YouTube Music and Apple Music. 

Watch "Before It All Goes Dark" on Prime Video. 

Yes. MOR has produced nine audio CDs, three opera DVDs, and three documentary films, extending the impact of its live performances to audiences worldwide. MOR has recently launched its own label (Music of Remembrance) and partners with Symphonic to stream recordings on numerous platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and others).

Watch "Before It All Goes Dark" on Prime Video.

MOR's annual David Tonkonogui Memorial Award for Young Artists supports new generations of young musicians who use their art to address human rights. We have also launched a partnership with Key to Change, a Seattle-based music education program to engage youth from underserved communities.

Audience and Accessibility 

MOR's audience includes a devoted core of chamber music and opera lovers, spanning a wide range of ages, cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic strata. You don't have to be a classical music fan to be inspired by our concerts' stories of courage and resilience.

Music of Remembrance concerts generally explore historical and human rights subjects, so they tend to resonate most with mature students, teenagers, and adults. Students are welcome, and discounted student tickets are available.

There is no formal dress code. Most patrons wear business casual or dressy attire, but you are welcome to come in whatever makes you comfortable.

Yes. MOR offers discounted tickets for students. Our annual January concert honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day is free to the whole community.

Tickets to individual concerts can be purchased online through this website or by phone (206-365-1770). Season subscriptions are also available for those who want to attend all four Seattle concerts at a discounted price.

Benaroya Hall is located in downtown Seattle at 200 University Street. It is served by public transit, including the Light Rail's Symphony Station, which is directly below Benaroya Hall. The entrance to the Benaroya Hall parking garage is located on Second Avenue, just south of Union Street.

Yes. Benaroya Hall and the Presidio Theatre offer wheelchair-accessible seating and other services. Patrons who need accommodation are encouraged to contact MOR in advance of a performance so arrangements can be made.

You can reach Music of Remembrance via email at info@musicofremembrance.org, phone (206-365-1770), mail (P.O. Box 27500, Seattle, WA 98165) or use this contact form on this website. 

Supporting Music of Remembrance

Music of Remembrance welcomes donations, concert sponsorships, and other forms of support. Visit our donation page on this website for more information, or contact us with any questions via email at info@musicofremembrance.org or phone (206-365-1770).

Yes, Music of Remembrance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Our Federal Tax ID is 91-1923624.