The Sisters got their start in the spring of 1998, in a concert of music by women composers in honor of International Women’s Day. It seemed the program would not be complete without something by 12th century composer and mystic Hildegard von Bingen, so an ad hoc group of singers was formed to perform a few of her songs. Another song was added to the program, Ysayas cecinit, whose ink was still damp!

When the time came to make the program, they didn't have a name. Realizing that nuns would be the people singing the material, half in jest, they called themselves “The Sisters”, not thinking it more than a joke. After the concert, however, they were asked repeatedly when “The Sisters” would be singing again. The answer was “whenever asked”.

They started out with a core of three: Kiki Hood, Kathy Sankey and Rebekkah Graves. Kiki was music director at Pilgrim at the time, though now she's the soloist and assistant conductor at University Christian Church, and has a “day job” at University Bookstore; she also plays recorder, sings in the Seattle Chamber Singers, and does some arranging when she gets the chance.

Kathy started the VoiceWorks studio in 1998 to incorporate her wide expertise in occupational therapy with teaching vocal technique. She sings in the Northwest Chamber Chorus and is a gifted pianist and accompanist.

Rebekkah left for New York (with her new husband) to pursue more operatic things and left a gap that was going to be hard to fill.

Thankfully, along came Alison Hopkins. She is working on her doctoral thesis in early music at the University of Washington, sings and cantors at Our Lady of Fatima, and has done several productions with Seattle Experimental Opera. She the Director of Music at Bellevue’s Forest School of the Sacred Heart, where she teaches and directs around 375 students.

Miriam Espeseth is the latest addition. She sings in the Northwest Chamber Chorus and works for the University of Washington, where she designs web sites for the Genetic Counseling Office. She is the groups linguistics expert, and has done extensive performance of early music.

The Sisters have sung in several concerts at Seattle's Pilgrim Congregational Church, most of them to benefit the restoration of the fine but neglected Hook & Hasting pipe organ. They have also sung at the University of Washington's Faculty Club, Orchestra Seattle & Seattle Chamber Singers' fundraising marathon, and were featured in New Music Tacoma's inaugural season.

The Sisters can often be heard around Christmas time at the University Bookstore and are currently preparing to record a CD of Marian music to be released after Christmas. It will include many medieval carols as well as more modern lauds to the Virgin and songs of Advent. For more information contact The Sisters via email.

Audio samples are available at this site.  Watch this space for more details on upcoming events and recordings!