Creative Team
Lisa Kaplan and Matthew Duvall
executive and artistic directors
What kind of a connection develops after more than two decades of shared imagination, inspiration, and the work of creating art? Symbiotic experience. Anticipated actions. Unspoken conversations. The result is an extraordinary leadership team.
Lisa Kaplan and Matthew Duvall met and began making music together in curriculum ensembles at Oberlin College in 1992, driven by a compatible fascination with rigorous challenges and unexpected outcomes. Together with their ensemble mates, they created Eighth Blackbird, a four-time Grammy Award-winning sextet that commissions and champions the creation of new works, mentors emerging artists through the Blackbird Creative Lab and extensive residencies, and expands the boundaries of the concert experience focusing on the principles of collaboration and inclusivity. The fundamental goal of every artistic experience is community building for all constituents.
In addition to their world-traveling artistic exploits, Lisa and Matthew have ascended to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and descended into the basin of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro crater, discovering that stage fright is nothing compared to being stared down by an elephant. And by the way, they were born in the same Motown hospital (but not on the same day). The universe has a sense of humor.
Lisa exceeded all prior accomplishments in 2017 by becoming a single mom by choice. She is having a joyous time raising and learning from her happy-go-lucky and feisty toddler, Frida. Lisa is a true foodie, gourmet cook, avid reader, and crossword and Scrabble addict. She enjoys baking ridiculously complicated pastry and loves outdoor adventures. In addition to the Kilimanjaro summit, she has braved the Australian outback and survived close encounters with grizzly bears in the Brooks Range of Alaska. Lisa is a 2013 recipient of Chicago’s prestigious 3Arts Award, and recently has enjoyed doing some composing and arranging for Eighth Blackbird. She co-produced her first album When We Are Inhuman (released August 2019) with Bryce Dessner which features her arrangements of songs by Will Oldham, aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.
Matthew is amazed every day that in spite of the completely weird artist/musician lifestyle he leads, he has the most supportive spouse and kids in the world (and two dogs, and a bearded dragon named Sammy). With this family that loves humor and travel and culture, there isn’t time for much else. Hobbies include playing the drums (he is sorry this is so predictable) in @dadbandband, doing odd jobs around the house (mostly rearranging the furniture), and participating in whatever the kids are interested in at any particular time. Matthew is an unparalleled virtuoso in the kitchen, able to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces from whatever leftovers are in the fridge. Personal preoccupations of late include site-specific curation projects, particularly in museum settings, and a series of projects focused on climate science.
Gigi Grey
office and program manager
Gigi Grey is a Georgia native who recently moved to Chicago to pursue her personal and career interests in the arts. Aside from her professional background in arts administration, archives and logistics, she’s a sculptor by training. She earned her MFA in Sculpture from Howard University in 2018 and since has been exploring functional design through ceramic sculpture. Gigi is a true foodie who enjoys cooking and baking. She also loves spending time frequenting museums/art galleries, record collecting and antiquing.
Garrett Obrycki
creative lab director
Garrett joins the Lab team as an educator, administrator and artist. Over the past 10 years, Garrett has performed with opera companies across the United States, including Opera Saratoga, Opera Ithaca, Opera Philadelphia, Sarasota Opera, Opera Delaware, Opera Sarasota, Central City Opera, most recently, with Opera in the Heights singing the title role in Eugene Onegin. As an educator, Garrett has taught with the School District of Philadelphia, Kimmel Center, Skidmore College, Opera Philadelphia, ArtSmart, and the Harvard Kennedy School and is currently on the roster of Teaching Artists with COMPAS in the Twin Cities. As an administrator, Garrett has designed and facilitated educational and community programs for the Harvard Graduate School of Education Arts in Education cohort, Opera Philadelphia, the Olivetti Leadership Institute in northern Italy and, most recently, as the Director of Education with Midori & Friends in midtown Manhattan. As a producer and production manager, Garrett has worked in with theater makers, dancers, and musicians at Theater Mu, Interact Arts, at the Great Northern Festival (on a dance commission on a frozen lake!) in Minneapolis in addition to his work with Eighth Blackbird at Yerkes Observatory. Garrett has a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is currently living making a pitstop in Minneapolis!
Francesca Federico
grants manager
Francesca is a classical singer, writer and media consultant for arts organizations; she was born in Paris and is based in New York City. A Fulbright Scholar, Francesca recently completed a residency at the Irish World Academy in Limerick, Ireland, under the mentorship of Iarla Ó Lionáird and Dr. Sandra Joyce. As a grant writer and digital media expert, she has worked for organizations including The New York Times, Jensen Artists, Barrett Artists, Manhattan Grant Writers, and Opera America Magazine. As a performer, she has sung with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, Wexford Festival Opera, Salt Marsh Opera, Teatro Nuovo belcanto festival, and many others. She recently made her soloist debut at Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphonic Ensemble under the baton of John Rutter. Francesca is planning to release her debut album in 2024, which will feature both classical art song and Irish folk music.
Matthew McCabe
technologist
Matthew McCabe is currently Associate Professor of Audio Technology at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University in Georgia. He holds degrees in music from the University of Richmond, Bowling Green State University, and the University of Florida, and has worked as an audio engineer with a huge variety of musicians spanning multiple genres. His current research involves networked audio technologies, and he has no less than 4 new recording projects underway in 2023. His creative output includes acoustic and electronic compositions, sound poetry, and performances with the Celtic music group Wolf & Clover, which released its first album in 2018. He has also been studying the Irish language for several years, earning certificates from Fairfield University and the University of Maynooth and has spent time in language immersion programs in County Donegal.