The world is big and scary But there’s no courage without fear. Nothing in life worth having Ever comes without a fight. Hush little baby, child that holds my heart. Don’t shed a tear, you’re safe, Mother’s here. – Emily’s Lullaby for C.J.
Since 2013 the Seattle Symphony has partnered with Mary’s Place, which shelters families experiencing homelessness, to present the annual Lullaby Project. The Lullaby Project is a workshop series where Seattle Symphony musicians and students from Seattle Pacific University’s (SPU) Music Therapy program come alongside parents and children in crisis situations to create personal lullabies.
The first step of the lullaby writing process is the Creative Workshop. Seattle Symphony musicians and SPU music therapy students travel to Mary’s Place and are paired with participating parents and children. Over the course of a day the musicians and students connect with families to create lyrics and a melody for their lullabies.
These lyrics and melodies are then arranged and professionally recorded with Seattle Symphony musicians. After the lullabies have been produced, the musicians, music therapy students and participants gather back together at Mary’s Place to listen to the recordings and reflect on the impact of their songwriting experience.
The project culminates in a performance, or a recording and listening gathering. Participants bring their families and friends to a heartwarming performance of their lullabies that highlight the powerful stories of families experiencing homelessness in Seattle.
The Lullaby Project is a national program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
Experience the lullabies for yourself on the Seattle Symphony’s Soundcloud channel.
Mary’s Place is a leading voice for homeless women, children and families in emergency situations. They empower families to reclaim their lives by offering community, acceptance, hope and dignity. Their work keeps struggling families together and provides practical tools and resources that help them find housing and employment. They inspire the community to support homeless women, children and families through advocacy, partnerships, volunteerism and philanthropy.
Visit marysplaceseattle.org to learn more.
The Arakawa Foundation proudly supports the Seattle Symphony’s Youth Education Partnerships. Additional support is provided by Delta Air Lines.
The Seattle Symphony’s Family, School & Community programs are supported by 4Culture, ArtsFund, the Merriman-Ross Family, and individual contributions to the Seattle Symphony Annual Fund.
