Bravo!
E W ’ S G U I D E TO T H E P E R F O R M I N G A R T S
ALL IN THE
FAMILY
Catching up with YouTube musical
sensations Evynne and Peter Hollens
N
ot to mince words, but Evynne and Peter Hollens
are kind of a big deal. Evynne Hollens is a singer
and performer who directs and teaches. Peter
Hollens is a singer-songwriter, producer and
entrepreneur. Together, they’ve built a life in music
and, from their cozy base in Eugene, shared it with the world.
“I love collaborating with people, and the internet has
allowed us to do that,” Peter Hollens says. “I work with influ-
encers who are far greater than my size. I’ll do all of the work,
pay my team, but I offer you a genre you’ve never offered to
your fans, and I just ask that you offer it to your fan base.”
The genre is a cappella, as most of Peter Hollens’
pieces — both covers and original compositions — feature
rich, polyphonic music created only with the human voice
and mouth.
Peter Hollens estimates he’s partnered on more than 40
performances with artists from around the globe. Most
recently, he and Evynne Hollens flew to Provo, Utah, to
work with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Piano Guys
and David Archuleta on a new video featuring a record-
breaking number of live nativity participants, which has
since been viewed online more than seven million times.
EVYNNE AND PETER HOLLENS WITH BABY
ASHLAND (IN MOOSE EARS)
Peter Hollens says his workflow can mean juggling up
to eight projects at a time, in which he not only performs
but also serves as producer, editor and marketing wizard.
After signing with Sony, he launched his eponymous
album last October.
So how does one pay a mortgage, or raise a family, by
singing? (The couple welcomed their first baby, Ashland,
last spring.)
Hollens points to Patreon (patreon.com) as a model of
patronage updated for the 21st century: “Patreon is a crowd-
funding answer for consistent content creators,” he says.
Through Patreon, audiences pledge to support the
creation of new work, such as Peter Hollens’ latest video. In
turn, artists can receive feedback from fans along with
small, but consistent, donations. All those little sums add up,
enabling Peter Hollens to focus his time on perfecting his
creative process and the diligent maintenance of his brand.
Both Peter and Evynne Hollens have garnered a global
audience online and, concurrently, Evynne Hollens
continues to share her talents throughout the local
community, performing with Oregon Contemporary
Theatre, The Shedd and the Eugene Concert Choir. She
teaches voice and is a regular director with Rose Children’s
Theatre.
“Live performance is important. And it’s magical,”
Evynne Hollens says. “But when you do it online, you
reach millions.” — Rachael Carnes
Find links for Peter and Evynne Hollens’ collection of videos, as well as
more information about their music, by visiting their YouTube channels at
wkly.ws/1wn and wkly.ws/1wo.
U NDER P RESSURE
Contemporary Prints from the Collections of
Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation
A concert of thrilling premieres for multiple
flutes by UO composers Cooney, Darnell,
Larkin, Ralls, Sackmann & Zavortink.
$7 general, $5 students and seniors
Tickets.uoregon.edu | 5 4 1 . 3 4 6 . 4 3 6 3
January 24 – March 29, 2015
Opening Reception: Friday, January 23, 6 – 8 p.m.
Exhibition Tour with Jordan Schnitzer: Saturday, January 24, 11 a.m.
Support for the exhibition and related educational and outreach programs has been made possible by
a grant from the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation. Additional support for the exhibition is provided
by the Coeta and Donald Barker Changing Exhibitions Endowment, The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer
CARE Foundation, a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts,
a federal agency, and JSMA members.
Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923–97). Bull Profile Series, 1973. Published by Gemini
G.E.L., Los Angeles, CA: Bull III. Lithograph, screenprint, and linecut, sheet 27 x 35 in.
Collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
Visit our website for a listing of events.
EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity.
jsma.uoregon.edu • 541.346.3027
EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity
eugeneweekly.com • January 22, 2015
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