BIO
Naomi LaViolette is a composer, performer, singer-songwriter and versatile pianist based in Portland, Oregon. Her roots are deep in classical music – she has a master’s degree in classical piano performance – but she has also immersed herself in the study of jazz standards, folk songs, soul, pop and gospel. Since 2004, the Oregon Repertory Singers have made her an essential part of their artistic staff as their pianist. A published choral composer with Santa Barbara Publishing, her works have been performed and recorded by many choirs around the US, including the Oregon Repertory Singers’ album Shadows on the Stars, winner of the American Prize.
Her smooth vocals span a range of colors from the sultry blues timbre of Norah Jones to the ambience of Sarah McLachlan, and her inclusion of both vintage and current keyboard sounds in her recordings are reminiscent of both the funky rhythms of Billy Preston and classic folk-rock of Carole King. Her original songs tell stories of falling in love, life lessons, and heartbreak, while striking a distinctive balance between sweet flirtation, soul-searching, and gratitude. Her artistic and authentic live performance, whether solo or with a band or ensemble, is an intimate and inspiring experience.
In her 20+ years as a recording artist, Naomi has released four solo albums of original songs, including her debut Naomi LaViolette in 2012, You’ve Got Me in 2013, Written For You in 2017, and Live at The Old Church with Members of the Oregon Symphony in 2019, as well as multiple singles. Her recordings have received great reviews and critical acclaim from media including Oregon Music News, The Oregonian, Oregon Music Hall of Fame, The Portland Tribune, Willamette Week, The Inessa Blog, KATU’s AM Northwest, KINK.fm, and KMHD.fm. She is praised for her songwriting and balanced combination of chops and lyricism. She has opened for national and international artists, and performed at esteemed venues and festivals including the Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall, Portland Jazz Festival, Jimmy Mak’s, the Doug Fir Lounge, the Aladdin Theater and All Classical Portland radio’s live broadcasts of Thursday’s @ 3.
Naomi is often commissioned to write songs for special occasions, create new arrangements of her original songs and choral compositions for vocal and instrumental ensembles, and she is regularly hired as a guest accompanist. The Oregon Symphony collaborates with Naomi as a songwriter and arranger for the Lullaby Project. Her work with the Saving His Music project has received prominent coverage in national and local news, including CBS Sunday Morning, The Week, The Oregonian, and The Saturday Evening Post. Their record, entitled The Nature Of Love, spent three weeks on the Billboard New Age chart in January 2018.
She frequently sings national anthems for conventions and sporting events, including both of Portland’s pro soccer teams, the Timbers and Thorns, as well as the Portland Trailblazers. She is a pianist for Michael Allen Harrison’s Ten Grands concert, as well as the keyboard player and a featured songwriter for She’s Speaking, a collective that creates forums/spaces for women’s voices and women’s stories to be heard.