Welcome Home celebrates the vitality of Maine’s immigrant communities through music and storytelling. Palaver Strings will collaborate with guest artists of French Canadian, Rwandan, Burundian, and Iraqi heritage, sharing traditional music and personal stories of their families’ journeys to Maine. As we tour with this program around Maine, we will celebrate Maine’s cultural diversity, reflect on our own histories, and create space for dialogue between listeners from different backgrounds. We believe deep listening and empathy for unfamiliar experiences is an important part of making Maine a safe and inclusive home for everyone.

PALAVER STRINGS is a Maine-based musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization founded in 2014. Now in its sixth season, Palaver has established itself as a forward-thinking ensemble whose mission is rooted in the community and creative programming. Palaver has performed at the Kennedy Center, a celebration of the Lullaby Project at Carnegie Hall, and has toured the East and West Coasts of the United States. Palaver was Ensemble in Residence at the Boston Center for the Arts from 2017-2019, and continues a longstanding residency at Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport, ME. This season, Palaver is a resident ensemble at the Shalin Liu Center in Rockport, MA. Equally passionate about education, Palaver has recently launched the Palaver Music Center in Portland, ME, fostering creativity and dialogue and making high-quality music education accessible to students of all backgrounds.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

Parking is available on Water Street, Machanic Street and in the Arcade Parking Lot off Main Street.  Look for parking signs and follow walking signs to get to Johnson Hall.

Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Contact our box office at 207-582-7144 Monday through Wednesday noon to 3:00pm, Friday noon to 3:00pm and day of show from 5:00pm on.