Christian Reconciliation
The first project grew out of our founders’ interest in commissioning significant new music to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation—The Holy Spirit Mass and So That the World May Believe: a Motet for Unity and Service. During 2017 the founders sought and received an invitation from the Vatican to bring this music to Rome for the 501st anniversary of the Reformation.
To respond to this invitation, the Together In Hope Project formed the Together In Hope Choir under the direction of Artistic Directors Teri Larson and Mark Stover, and recruited interested individuals to accompany the Choir to Rome as Ambassadors of Hope. 60 Choir members and 120 Ambassadors of Hope delivered their message of hope and healing between October 26-November 2, 2018.
Opening the 17th Annual International Festival of Sacred Music and Art at the Papal Basilica St. Paul Outside the Walls, with the world premiere of So That the World May Believe (dedicated to Pope Francis) and the European premier of Holy Spirit Mass, accompanied by the TrondheimSolistene (a professional chamber music ensemble from Trondheim, Norway).
For the Pope and all those in attendance at the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on October 31.
In 2019 Together In Hope Choir repeated the Vatican concert program at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis on February 9, and at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota on September 28.
In the Media
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“Interfaith choir from Minnesota heads for the Vatican with a message of unity” October 26, 2018
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“Together in Hope Choir performs in historic concert in Rome” November 1, 2018
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“Music and Reconciliation” January 18, 2019
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“Choir to take ecumenical message to Vatican in October” June 12, 2018
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.
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.