Classical MPR Invites the Community to Unite in Song this Thursday

Jul 13, 2016

The community is invited to an evening of song and reflection after recent violence in the Twin Cities. A Bridge of Song, hosted by Classical Minnesota Public Radio, will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Thursday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tesfa Wondemagnehu, Classical MPR manager of choral initiatives, and G. Phillip Shoultz III, associate conductor of VocalEssence, will lead local choirs in a program featuring special guests Fred Steele, JD Steele and Dessa. The event will last approximately one hour and consist largely of music, interspersed with brief inspirational and meditative readings. Westminster Presbyterian Church is located in downtown Minneapolis at 1200 South Marquette Avenue. The event is free and open to the public.

A similar community sing is scheduled for the same time in Dallas. These two cities--both of which experienced tragedy in the last week--are at near-opposite ends of I-35, one of the nation's great interstate highways stretching north-south nearly the length of America. At one moment in the event, the two crowds in Texas and Minnesota will sing the same piece of music at the same time together.

"Our goal is to try for at least a few minutes to center our community, with music at the heart of it," said Brian Newhouse, Managing Director of Classical MPR. "We believe that there's real power in the act of singing together."

The event will be livestreamed on Classical MPR's Facebook page. Participants are encouraged to use the hashtag #BridgeofSong.

Listeners can tune in to Classical MPR to hear a companion block of programming with music selections reflecting hope and unity. Classical MPR can be heard in the Twin Cities on KSJN 99.5 FM. A complete list of Classical MPR stations can be accessed online: go to ClassicalMPR.org, and click on "stations."