Our Vision
Bringing Classical Music to Siskiyou County, CA
Established in 2004, Music by the Mountain presents world-class live classical music performances and school outreach in Siskiyou County, California.
Music by the Mountain is a non-profit organization committed to bringing extraordinary classical musicians to our rural, yet vibrant community and providing educational outreach for children and students of all ages.
Music by the Mountain has a vital board of local community leaders and is committed to sponsoring and cultivating world-class live classical music performances and education in Siskiyou County.
In recognition, Music by the Mountain has been awarded multiple grants by the California Arts Council (Artists in Schools), the Siskiyou Arts Council, and the Shasta Regional Foundation.
Read about our beautiful 2021 gala, River Garden Symphony, in Mount Shasta Area Newspapers!
Our Founders
A Passion for Music
Visiting violist Michael Whitson of Pacific Crest Music Festival teaching at Sisson Middle School in Mt. Shasta.
Laura Dahl, Board President & Co-Founder
Pianist Laura Dahl is an accomplished classical pianist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonic, San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, and at music festivals in the United States and abroad. Currently, she is a member of the music faculty at Stanford University, where she teaches collaborative and solo piano, chamber music, and art song interpretation.
Internationally in demand as a teacher and coach, Dahl has also taught at the New National Theatre Young Artists Training Program in Tokyo, Japan. Dahl was formerly the Associate Director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Assistant Conductor for Western Opera Theater (San Francisco Opera Center) and an invited fellow at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center. She has held coaching and accompanying positions at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music.
Sally Porter-Munro, Board Vice President & Co-Founder
Mezzo-soprano Sally Porter-Munro is a native of London, England and a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, England. She has sung with the England National Opera, Royal Opera de la Monnaie in Brussels, the BBC Singers, and as oratorio soloist in Europe.
In California, Ms. Munro has sung with the San Francisco Opera, Oakland East Bay Symphony Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, Pocket Opera, Berkeley Opera, North Bay Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Bear Valley Music Festival, and the Lake Tahoe Festival. Ms. Munro has given recitals in New York City, London, Capetown (South Africa), and St. Petersburg (Russia).Ms. Munro has an extensive singing teaching practice in San Francisco where she is a faculty member of the San Francisco Girls' Chorus. She is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.
Laura Dahl, Founder & Artistic Director
Sally Porter-Munro, Founder
Our Board of directors
Committed to Community
Laura Dahl, Board President & Co-Founder: Laura was born and raised in the western states of Colorado and Montana. She loves travel, hiking, yoga, and all things music! A pianist, Laura teaches at Stanford University, and is passionate about making classical music accessible to everyone. Her family has a home in Siskiyou County, where they can be found whenever possible!
Sally Porter-Munro, Board Vice President & Co-Founder: "I cannot remember a time when I did not have music and music making in my life. A co-founder of Music by the Mountain, I am passionate about bringing live music to Siskiyou County and enabling outreach to the local schools. I studied viola and singing in England and after teaching both violin and viola became a professional singer. I have had the honor of singing in San Francisco Opera for 28 years. I love teaching and performing and want to share this joy of music with the community.”
Gail Domanski: “As a visual artist, I know art is nurturing in all forms. Music lifts the heart and mind, so as the musicians perform, the audience participates in an energetic receiving and reflecting. Music has no boundaries, so musicians can play together regardless of language, age, nationality, or culture. They demonstrate yet another way art can express hope for humanity in divine creativity. I support musical experiences for people of all ages, socioeconomic situations, and environments.”
Dr. Scott Durbin: Weed resident, retired chiropractor and multi-talented musician, Scott brings his experience, ideas and enthusiasm to the MbM board. "I have been playing trumpet and piano professionally since the age of sixteen. Music has been such a blessing in my life that I feel it is vital to share it with others, especially young people. This organization does that!”
Cate Clother: Cate Clother’s grandparents moved to Dunsmuir from Oklahoma in the 1940’s; her grandfather, George Lewis, was an accomplished honky tonk musician who played fiddle, guitar, and sang for all of the railroaders and loggers in town. Cate is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Cordella Press, an intersectional feminist press featuring women both online and in print, and Cedar Grove Center for Rural Renewal, a new nonprofit in Dunsmuir seeking to enrich our community with the arts. Cate lives with her husband and three children in Dunsmuir.
George Lister: George has been a member of the Board of Directors of Music by the Mountain, since 2021. He has parlayed his love of classical music and of the mountains, to bring service to the Mt Shasta community. In March, 2021, he and his wife Sally Porter Munro, a co-founder and fellow Board member of MBM, purchased a wonderful house and land, near the Shasta City Park on the north side of town.
Ted Swartz: Ted Swartz is a long time MbM board member. He is passionate about classical music and supports all efforts to bring extraordinary performances to our area.
Mike Yee: Mike started playing the guitar in college after a foot injury stopped him from hours a day of tennis practice. Since he didn't sing, classical guitar was the direction that he never left. Accompanying singers brought him to the love of Opera. Over 40 years later, the love for music has only grown. When not playing the guitar, Mike is often found on the trout stream.