The Stranger (2022)

Together In Hope Project partnered with USA for UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) to create “The Stranger”, a project designed to raise global awareness about refugees and displaced persons, and to raise funds for humanitarian aid for refugees. This project culminated in two special events under the direction of Artistic Director Mark Stover:

  • World premiere of “The Stranger” at Trondheim International Olavsfest—2022. The Together in Hope Choir was invited to deliver the opening concert of this largest cultural festival in Norway on July 28, 2022. The Together In Hope Choir and the TrondheimSolistene performed “The Stranger”, new music composed by Kim André Arnesen.  The theme of this annual festival for 2022 was Hope.
  • U.S. premiere in Saint Paul, October 15-16, 2022. We were delighted to present two performances of this important new “music with a purpose” at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. We were honored to host 650 immigrants and refugees from 30 local organizations as our guests, as well as Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway at these performances.

The plight of refugees is one of the most critical issues of our time, not only in the United States but globally. More than 100 million people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes—more than at any other time since the end of World War II. The world coronavirus pandemic only intensifies the challenge. Our goal is to use the universal language of music to raise awareness of this issue.

The need is great. We can respond.

 

How You Can Help

Support our mission of “music with a purpose”.

Project Partner

Who We Are

  • USA for UNHCR serves vulnerable people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes because of violence, conflict and persecution.
  • Through the generosity of the American people, USA for UNHCR helps refugees survive, provides hope for recovery and prepares them for independence in a new and permanent home.
  • We protect refugees and empower them with hope and opportunity.

 

About UNHCR

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), also known as the UN Refugee Agency, is the world’s leading organization aiding and protecting people forced to flee their homes due to violence, conflict and persecution. UNHCR provides shelter, food, water, medical care and other lifesaving assistance to refugees around the world.

The dream of most refugees is to return home. When possible, UNHCR helps refugees return to their homeland. When refugees can’t go back home, UNHCR helps them rebuild their lives in another country. Since its formation by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950, UNHCR has helped an estimated 50 million refugees restart their lives and has twice received the Nobel Peace Prize.

www.unrefugees.org

In The Media

KSTP

A new musical commissioned by the Minnesota-based non-profit Together In Hope Project is making its United States premiere at The Ordway in St. Paul on Oct. 15 and 16.

‘The Stranger’ will be performed by the Together in Hope Project choir. The show is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16.

The musical’s message is about helping refugees around the world. The production aims to raise awareness and funds for refugees through a partnership with the UN Refugee Agency.

Read the full article HERE.

Your Classical
Together in Hope describes its mission as “music with a purpose.” This year, the choir embarked on a new project, partnering with the U.N. Refugee Agency to raise awareness of the plight of refugees and raise funds for humanitarian aid.

To that end, the choir commissioned another new piece, and it will sing the U.S. premiere in St. Paul on Oct. 15 and 16. The piece is called The Stranger, and the composer is no stranger to these singers: Kim Andre Arnesen. YourClassical MPR’s John Birge spoke with Arneson about the new project.

Read the full article HERE.

The Catholic Spirit
After creating an interfaith choir to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation at the Vatican in 2018, the founders of the Together in Hope Project are preparing for the choir’s U.S. premiere of “The Stranger,” which explores major faiths’ traditions of welcoming the refugee, immigrant and outcast.

Drawing on Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu texts, “The Stranger” will be performed 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul.

Read the full article HERE.

KSTP
An original musical work will take the stage in St. Paul this weekend to raise awareness for refugees here in Minnesota and around the world.

Minnesota-based nonprofit Together in Hope Project commissioned the musical project, “The Stranger.”

It has been a work in progress for four years and will make its U.S. debut at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Friday night.

Read the full article HERE.

MINNPOST
Head to the Ordway on Saturday night for the U.S. premiere of “The Stranger,” a musical work for choir and orchestra by Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen. Commissioned by The Together In Hope Project, in partnership with USA for UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), the piece incorporates poetry and religious texts by authors of different faith traditions that highlight the refugee experience.

Read the full article HERE.

Artistic Partners

For each project we undertake, we consider strengthening the project through collaborative partnerships with other artists.

Kim André Arnesen

Kim André Arnesen

Composer

Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980) is one of the most frequently performed composers from Norway today. He grew up in Trondheim, played the piano at the music school and was a chorister in the Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir. He was educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim. With a big interest in baroque music, contemporary classical music, and popular music, Kim could have taken many roads, but choral music became his greatest passion. As a composer, he had his first performance at the age of 18 with the boys’ choir. Since then he has written music that has been performed by choirs all over the world.

His major works include “Magnificat” (2010), “Requiem” (2014), “The Wound in the Water” (2016), “Holy Spirit Mass” (2017), “Tuyvahan – Beaititudes for a Wounded World” (2018), and “So That the World May Believe” (2018).

Kim is an elected member of the Norwegian Composers Society, and a full-time composer focusing on choral music. Since 2017 he has been a house composer of Boosey & Hawkes, publishers.

www.kimarnesen.com

TrondheimSolistene

TrondheimSolistene

TrondheimSolistene (The Trondheim Soloists) from Norway is one of the most exciting young ensembles performing on the international stage. The orchestra’s energetic musicality and sheer joy in music-making are infectious.  The orchestra has performed with leading artists not only in classical music, but also in jazz, folk music, rock and pop.

TrondheimSolistene has been featured on more than 50 albums, received a total of ten Grammy nominations, as well as glowing international reviews. The orchestra’s best-selling release to date has been Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” on the Deutsche Grammophon label (with approximately 700,000 records sold). The orchestra together with the Nidaros Cathedral Girls’ Choir received a GRAMMY for the recording LUX in 2019.

www.trondheimsolistene.no

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info@togetherinhopeproject.org

P.O. Box 398094
Minneapolis, MN 55439