Today we’d like to introduce you to Cimarron Brodie ILko Major.
Hi Cimarron Brodie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
iLko and I originally met while doing production work in the art and music industry. Through that experience, we realized how much we loved creating immersive events and environments, and began dreaming of having a venue of our own where we could fully bring our ideas and creative vision to life.
Our network is global, but it is also deeply rooted in Portland, Bend and Central Oregon, which naturally drew us to downtown Redmond. During our search for the right space, we discovered a beautiful old church with a unique character and history. We saw its potential immediately and decided to purchase and renovate it, transforming it into a creative venue where art, music and community could come together.
iLko is a longtime musician with extensive experience both performing on stage and managing live productions. Prior to the Music Hall, he also owned and operated an event and wedding venue for many years, bringing valuable firsthand knowledge of venue operations, hospitality and event coordination.
His background in carpentry, sound engineering and logistics has been an ideal fit for the day-to-day demands of the project and has played a major role in the hands-on renovation and DIY development of the venue from the ground up.
Cimarron’s background is rooted in art, graphic and web design and event productions, contributing to the web presence, marketing, overall vision and creative direction of the Music Hall. She also brings extensive experience in the restaurant and bar industry, providing valuable support in management, bartending, menu creation and hospitality.
Together, iLko and Cimarron combine experience across many trades, creating a collaborative and shared vision that touches every aspect of their offering. They work side by side to run, build, grow and continually reimagine the future of the business together. Since beginning the project in 2019, they have renovated the venue from the ground up and have had the privilege of watching it grow alongside the community ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This project has been far from a smooth road. When we first began the build, COVID was not yet part of anyone’s vocabulary and we were in the process of creating a space centered around gathering, connection and live experiences. Like many independent venues, we faced enormous challenges during that time, but we worked hard to persevere to continue offering something meaningful to the community.
Over the years, the Music Hall has gone through many phases of growth and reinvention. We have had to adapt again and again in order to survive, evolve and continue serving the needs of the community. In the beginning our primary focus was on supporting local musicians and artists by bringing as much regional talent to the stage as possible and making it a priority to pay performers fairly. While this mission remained important to us, we often struggled with low attendance and quickly realized we would need to broaden our approach in order to sustain the venue.
As a result, we began expanding our programming to include larger touring acts as well as a wider range of community-centered events such as weddings, birthday celebrations, quinceañeras, celebrations of life, private parties, corporate meetings and other styles of gatherings. We recognized there was a strong need for flexible, creative event spaces where people could bring their own ideas, passions and events to life. This led us to re-envision what the Music Hall could offer and how we approached our efforts and offerings to our community.
During different stages of the project, we also operated a full kitchen, lounge and bar. There were many difficult days, which required us to continue adapting our business model and outlook. Today, we have pivoted further by leasing portions of the space, allowing others the opportunity to bring their own concepts and energy into the venue while helping ensure the long-term sustainability of the project. We continue to do community outreach and encourage people of all walks of life to contact us with their ideas, events needs and ways we might be able to help bring their ideas to light.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
iLko can be most proud of his music, producing his own songs and records with his own instruments and also loves performing live. He plays drums, guitar and also has an array of experience in other instruments as well as in music theory. He can be found on a handful of past festival lineups and has helped to curate many music related events. His future goals are to start a metal band and loves networking and anything music related.
Cimarron is most proud of her art and its diverse style and array of mediums. From music, wood sculptures and large scale painting and murals, creating and pursuing art is what she does and enjoys best. Her newest pursuit is in lyrics, music production and also has a lifetime passion of singing and dance. Her tagline is fitting for her artistic appreciation and efforts – “Art in Daily Motion. Here. Everywhere. “
Both owners creative visions and attention to detail sets them apart from an ordinary experience. This can be seen and felt in the venue and in conversations throughout.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, both iLko and Cimarron pursued the arts extensively, exploring creative expression through both their education and in personal interests. Cimarron focused heavily on the arts in school, studying photography, apparel design and drama, while also developing strong skills in writing and storytelling. iLko’s creative path included performing in multiple bands, contributing to theater productions through lighting, sound and technical support and engaging in various performance-based arts from an early age. Both were involved with their school newspaper, contributing as writers, reporters and working on editing and layout design. While their individual journeys have been distinct, their backgrounds share many common threads, including a deep commitment to creativity, communication, collaboration and community engagement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://highdesertmusichall.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/highdesertmusichall
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/highdesertmusichall
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@highdesertmusichall/streams
