‘Those yells live inside of me’: Portland’s Yelling Choir turns raw emotion into harmony

Portland artist and musician Maxx Katz enjoys subverting expectations.

The product of that desire can be found in Portland’s Yelling Choir, Katz’s brainchild and a group of about a dozen local artists exploring the myriad ways of yelling, shrieking and screaming in unison.

“The term ‘yelling choir’ tends to bring up for people, this image of people lined up in front of a conductor,” Katz said. “We do some of that, but only just enough to mess with that expectation.”

On the whole, the Yelling Choir is a terrifying, multifaceted performance. It’s the kind of screaming typically heard on an extreme heavy metal album, rumbling growls combined with piercing screeching. Even in this a capella choir, the volume can be ear-piercing.

The project started in 2019, while Katz was attending an art residency in Florida. During one piece, Katz — a fan of heavy metal music — decided to incorporate some yelling into the performance.

“Five women came up to me afterwards, completely independent of each other, and they asked, ‘Will you teach me how to yell?’” Katz said.

Soon, they began offering workshops on yelling and how to do it safely. That eventually morphed into the modern Yelling Choir, which has begun performing more regularly around Portland.

Katz comes from a classical music background, having played the flute since childhood, and has played in heavy metal bands as an adult. Lately, they’ve been incorporating more screaming and yelling into other portions of their art.

The Yelling Choir has not had many live performances, but the response has already been dramatic. People regularly send unsolicited audition tapes of themselves yelling, desperate to join the choir.

Few people, Katz said, have a place to yell safely and make themselves heard — the choir gives people “the possibility of getting huge.”

“It’s just so amazing to see people find their yelling voices,” they said. “It’s like they open up in this amazing way, and they get so excited about it.”

‘I Feel Like Yelling About It’

In a recent rehearsal at Portland State University, the full intricacy of the choir was on full display. The nearly dozen members made full use of the space, dancing and running amid a cacophony of different noises.

Katz trains these artists, many of whom have experience as performing artists, on the proper way to yell, projecting volume while not damaging their vocal chords.

Maybe just as important as the technique are the emotions behind the yells. Katz encourages each performer to find their “motivation,” something they can tap into to project their yell in the best way possible.

For Muffie Delgado Connelly, who’s been with the choir since it first started performing in backyards, they’ve been thinking about families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“For a long time, those yells lived inside of me, and didn’t have anywhere to go,” Delgado Connelly said. “Now, being with this group of people, I get to be with and share in the expression of those feelings.”

The motivations ranged from the political to the everyday, from medical problems to stressful relationships.

Diana Oropeza, a local writer, had recently received copies of her new book, only to find they were in terrible condition.

“I don’t want to yell at my publisher, because I know it’s not totally their fault,” Oropeza said. “But I feel like yelling about it to somebody, and so this is a great space to do that.”

Katz said those who attend a Yelling Choir performance should expect the unexpected. The audience reactions tend to be just as emotional.

“Some are going to cry — they’re probably going to be men,” they said. “Some people will leave, and some people will be enamored and will want to join.”