“Song recitals are an incredibly beautiful medium for storytelling - so intimate in scale, but infinite in emotion. I’m obsessed with curating repertoire, finding the perfect venue, performing with friends and collaborators … all of it!”

Ketti founded Mixtape Recital Series in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Not only was it a scheme to present more recitals in town with friends, it was also an exercise in rebellion.

“Many singers feel so trapped within the traditional systems of classical singing. Conservatories preach that singers have very little artistic control. We’re expected to defer to our conductors and coaches, who are the be-all-end-all authorities on the rep we’re allowed to sing, the gigs we’re allowed to take, the choices we’re allowed to make on stage. When your body is your instrument, every little disappointment feels like a punch in the face! So I thought … let’s dodge.”

Mixtape Recital Series had its first performance in February 2018. The event was casual, performed for friends with cookies and conversation between songs. This was the spark created our current model, where we value musical communication over an artist’s polish or credentials. “The philosophy here is: let’s seek out singers who are growing and changing in their relationship with art. No age limits, no résumé-worship, no repertoire restrictions. It’s an exercise in letting go of those things, composting the old rules so something else can grow instead. If we feed our artists with venues, funding, and enthusiastic support for their most personal projects … what will happen next?”

Today, Ketti has assembled staff from across the country to launch an innovative arts business. Mixtape now offers major recital prizes in three cities: Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. We also operate a boutique production company that makes classical music events affordable, accessible, and beautiful.