People and Partners

William Dougherty is an American composer, sound artist, and writer. His creative work engages with elements of loss, decay, and memory through the sounds of audio recordings and audio recording technologies. With a particular interest in collaborative and community-based models of composition, Dougherty’s work questions notions of authorship, agency, and the work concept.

Philly native and senior at Harvard College,  Braden Ellis is a multi-instrument musician and producer. At Harvard, he studies music and economics with interests in business and the arts. He co-founded EllisVillage, a venture supporting organizations that support young people. He is also a Juilliard Pre-College classically trained bassist and enjoys performing jazz and contemporary music.

Philly native and sophomore in the Harvard-Berklee Dual Degree Program, Skyy Brooks is a classically trained vocalist and contemporary performer. At Harvard, she studies African and African American Studies, and at Berklee, Jazz Vocal Performance. She has interest in educational studies, specifically educational resources in predominantly Black communities.

Emerging young directors, under the direction of Shameka Sawyer, will work to curate the video component of Hearing Philadelphia.

Students brass players from The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA)'s jazz band, under the direction of Dr. Jay Fluellen, will perform alongside professional mentors in the live performance of Hearing Philadelphia. 

The Philadelphia Community Mass Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jay Fluellen, will participate as vocalist in the live performance. 

The Philadelphia Obituary Project publishes obituaries of people whose lives were taken by gun violence. They will publish documentation of Hearing Philadelphia including obituaries of those memorialized in the project.

Singers from The Singing City Choir, under the direction of Dr. Rollo Dilworth, will perform as choral singers in the live performance. 

The Souls Shot Portrait Project pairs visual artists with family members who have lost a loved one to gun violence in Philadelphia. After a dialogue with the family, the artist creates a portrait of their lost loved one. The Souls Shot Portrait Project will exhibit the portraits for those who are memorialized in Hearing Philadelphia. 

Singers from Temple University's Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Paul Rardin, will perform as choral singers in the live performance.