2026/27 Resident Artists
Gem Club is the vision of Christopher Barnes, a New England–based singer, songwriter, and pianist hailed for making luminous music where “everything is valued” (NPR Music). Bringing orchestral sweep to its majestic dream pop, Gem Club emerged from Boston with its acclaimed debut, Breakers (2011), followed by In Roses (2014), both released on Sub Pop's Hardly Art imprint. After more than a decade away from full-length releases, Barnes returns with Emerald Press, a collection of ten songs that explore intimacy, devotion, and the ethics of closeness through Gem Club's unflinching blend of piano, strings, and emotional candor.
Josh Gagnon is a musician from Maine, currently living in New York City. His work explores contemporary intersections of jazz, alternative, and folk music traditions. His compositional practice seeks to integrate historical traditions while serving as a progressive voice in instrumental music.
As a performer, Josh has sought out a diverse array of experiences, from symphony orchestras, to hot jazz combos, to freely improvising small groups. He has recorded and played throughout the United States with groups like the Soggy Po Boys, the Seulah Noh Jazz Orchestra, Sojoy, OURBIGBAND, and the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra. In his teaching, Josh strives to bring these diverse performing experiences to a holistic pedagogical approach.
Josh’s teaching, rather than a rigid technical approach, is based in a wholistic view musicianship. By instilling a deep love and understanding for the craft in his students, he hopes to create the vitally important stewards of the music for future generations.
Steph George is a writer and audio maker from Dover, NH. Her work peels back the film covering the minutiae of daily life, finding stories in laundromats, around the kitchen table, behind the bar, or at the city dump. She received her MFA from the University of New Hampshire.
A long time writer, Steph’s audio journey began in college as a late-night radio DJ. Since then, she has worked on a variety of professional and homegrown projects including The Heinemann Podcast, Beyond the Letters, Water for Teachers, Creative Fuel, Rise and Rouse, and Babel Patrol.
She has written for publications including The American Gardener, Sound Sorceresses, and am the current nonfiction editor for Barnstorm Journal.
Riley Stockwell is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire based composer and guitarist whose work explores the space between composition and improvisation. He is a founder of Skunk Jesus, an experimental ensemble dedicated to creating immersive music in real time.
During his Artist Residency, Riley will continue developing new work while expanding the artistic vision of Skunk Jesus.
youtube.com/@RileyStockwellMusic
@rileystockwellmusic