Who we are
Friends After Good Sound is a queer new music collective focused exclusively on bringing new works by local PDX composers to life. We seek to be a vehicle that overcomes the many trepidations posed to artists when it comes to creating new work. New work is the pulse of any good music scene, it's exciting, it’s overrated, it doesn't work, it changes things and people. Without new work concerts can be boring, predictable and prescribable. (F)-(A)-(G)-(S) isn't that.
Our ensemble seeks to bring three concerts a year to our community, each concert premiering two to three new works by two to three different composers. Currently, we are composed of four core members, James T. Hickey, Chanchito Loko, Mia Chavez Lysaght and Michael Anderson. All of our core members are multi-instrumentalist that come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds. We believe our multi genre/stylistic backgrounds are an asset in making more inclusive vibrant work for our local community.
Please reach out to us via the Contact page if you are a composer interested in working with us.
Core Members
Chanchito Loko is System Brat Street rat from nyc’s guts fond of getting the big cheese. Peruvian 1st gen , lover of papas. Hater of none. Sonic painter of what feathers speak the sky, Con mí corazón es la luz de las estrellas de todo los muertos, Y tocar la música por mí gente con las cuerdas de mí alma Mad Love, por Siempre
Michael Anderson is a composer based in Portland Oregon. He is ever curious how something gross becomes delectable, how one situation lends itself into the creation of another, and how an ecosystem based in the familiar gets warped into the unknown. These types of psycho-emotional reactions to sound are what inspires him to make odd little jewels of electroacoustic creation. Michael studied with Renee Favand-See at Portland State University where he received his Bachelors of Music Composition. In early 2024 he created Friends After Good Sound, a new music collective focused on premiering new works by local composers.
Mia Chavez Lysaght is a multi-instrumentalist Sagittarius watercolor witch. Beginning her musical voyage in childhood, she has dedicated years to cello and electric bass, touring the West Coast and Hawaii with EX-KIDS and Foot Ox, recorded in Tucson, performed live on the radio and upon renowned stages like Revolution Hall. Her experiments with Friends After Good Sound demonstrate this magical culmination of diverse musical forays, life experiences, and fearlessness.
James T. Hickey is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music producer from Portland Oregon. He has been performing professionally since 2018, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sonic Arts & Music Production from Portland State University in 2023. JT Hickey's Musical works are inspired by meditation, fantasy and dreams. He enjoys long walks through metropolitan areas, listening to podcasts, and taking pictures of the sky.