Founded in 2009, Sparks & Wiry Cries curates opportunities for art song creators, performers, and scholars through innovative initiatives that capture the stories of our diverse communities. Co-founders soprano Martha Guth and pianist Erika Switzer share a vision for the future of art song presentation, articulating the form’s confluence of poetry and music as a vehicle for socially relevant storytelling. Sparks productions foreground the lived experience of artists within our communities, enabling them to express heartfelt matters that speak to us all.

For UIA Talent Agency, Sparks & Wiry Cries curates projects that range from innovatively crafted vocal chamber recitals to co-produced multimedia /theatrical projects. Collaboration has permeated every aspect of Sparks & Wiry Cries since its founding. Our partnerships include: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 5 Boroughs Music Festival, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Lincoln University, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Cornell University, Columbia University (Narrative Medicine program), Barnard University (Heyman Center for the Humanities), Merkin Concert Hall, GLMMR, and National Sawdust. Examples of our projects include: