Her Story, Her Song features faculty compositions

When female singers raise their voices carrying songs of hope, home and overcoming diversity in the 14^th annual Her Story, Her Song, they’ll do so knowing they’re helping women and their young children find permanent housing.

St. Cloud State University Women’s Choir, Cantabile Girls’ Choir and faculty performers are joining together to put on the concert at 7:30 p.m. April 28 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4310 County Road 137, St. Cloud.

The concert gives performers and audience members an opportunity to explore life from the feminine perspective. Her Story, Her Song is partnering this year with Domus Transitional Housing, an organization that provides a temporary home and support services to motivated homeless women with custody of children ages 12 or younger.

The premiere performance is “Hope is the Thing” composed by Professor Melissa Krause will be sung by the combined choirs. The Cantabile will perform “A Greeting of Peace” by Professor Marcelyn Smale.

Student Sarah Hanek, Jordan, will perform the solo “Homeward Bound.”

Faculty performers include: Melissa Krause on the flute; Marcelyn Smale performing readings; and soprano Catherine Verrilli on vocals.

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Women's Choir members help bake caramel rolls for a Domus Transitional Housing fundraiser.

The performance is part of the 2014-15 Creative Arts Series, a set of events and performances both on and off campus in the School of the Arts’ four disciplines — art, music, theater and film.

The Cantabile Girls’ Choir is made up of middle-school age girls and is part of the music department’s Preparatory Program.

In addition to partnering with Domus Transitional Housing on Her Story, Her Song, choir members volunteered throughout the semester to help raise funds for the program. In January they volunteered to set-up and clean-up for Catholic Charities’ Mardi Gras, which raises funds for emergency services for Domus.

Women’s Choir members gathered baking supplies for a caramel roll sale and helped to bake and sell the rolls raising more than $900.

In March Cantabile members gathered donations for Move Out Baskets for women and children transitioning into permanent housing this April, both choirs will volunteer to assemble the baskets. The students will also give presentations on their partnership with Domus and address how music can be used to affect social change.