Molly Sturges together with co-composer Barbara Armstrong and SF Care Center activities director Christine Sandoval at a choir rehearsal at The College of Santa Fe.
LIFESONGS
A collaboration between Littleglobe and The Santa Fe Opera
Lifesongs is project devoted to creating new musical works with people in nursing
homes and hospice with collaborating support from youth, community
choirs, and professional composers, artists and musicians. It is
based on the belief that collaborative art making with people at the end
of their lives has the power to renew human dignity and inspire a sense of
vital shared humanity.
Lifesongs began in 2007 as a project of The Santa Fe Opera Outreach
and Education Program under the direction of Andrea Walters in collaboration with The Santa Fe Care Center. Over
six months project director and composer Molly Sturges wrote pieces with residents, often
confined to their rooms. Together with the choir of the College of Santa
Fe, the pieces were performed at a concert held in the care center in April
2008.
The Lifesongs artists specialize in the capacity to meet people where
they feel comfortable. None of the participants felt they were “musical”
and yet with some gentle exercises in poetry writing, the use of visual
arts materials and the help of a midi keyboard and a computer, they could
participate significantly to a musical piece that expresses something of
great meaning to them. At the concert, all of the participant composers
stood up for full applause and replied something to the effect of-“ I just
can’t believe I did this.” For audience members it is a great honor to hear
the depth of expression that comes at the end of our lives whether it is
about love, family, or the prayer for freedom and peace.
In 2008-2009 Lifesongs is expanding to include hospice. Lifesongs
artists will work in individual homes as well as Santa Fe Care Center and a
variety of Albuquerque hospice home sites.
Lifesongs 2009 Concert- April 25th, 2009
Performed by the UNM Chorus under the direction of Regina Carlow.
