In 2019, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) will be premiering a new work by composer-in-residence Lembit Beecher that will incorporate pieces of recorded interviews with a wide range of community members. We are seeking volunteers who would like to add to this work by sharing their stories about “home” and what the idea of home means to them.

We invite volunteers to participate in a 20-30 minute recorded interview about their idea of home, the different memories and sensations that help define home for them, and the meaning of home as a concept. While this is an artistic collaboration, it is also an attempt to hear people’s stories, to engage their different, various, and valuable experiences with home — good, bad, or otherwise. As part of the interview, volunteers will be asked to read newly written poetry by Chris Santiago, a local poet and professor at University of St. Thomas.

As thanks for participating in this project, the SPCO would like to offer you two complimentary tickets to the world premiere performances in February, 2019 at the Ordway Concert Hall in downtown Saint Paul. This new orchestral work will be the centerpiece of a festival that will engage a group of artists to explore where, when and how we feel at home in a dynamic and ever-changing world.

Interviews will be conducted (by reservation) at the East Side Freedom Library on March 17th from Noon-3:00pm. If you are interested in participating or know someone who may be interested, please contact Paul Finkelstein at [email protected] or by phone at 651.292.4332.