Come join the singers of the Merula choir for Våren Flyr! on Sunday, June 5th at 4:30 pm. Our spring concert will musically map the journey of Syrian refugees as they flee their homeland in search of a better future in Sweden. Through interlacing folk songs, hymns, poetry, and stories from nine different countries, we will open a tiny window into the world Syrian refugees experience on their journey (See pebble stone art by Nizar Ali Badr). The concert will include both Swedish spring songs, su...
Come join the singers of the Merula choir for Våren Flyr! on Sunday, June 5th at 4:30 pm. Our spring concert will musically map the journey of Syrian refugees as they flee their homeland in search of a better future in Sweden. Through interlacing folk songs, hymns, poetry, and stories from nine different countries, we will open a tiny window into the world Syrian refugees experience on their journey (See pebble stone art by Nizar Ali Badr). The concert will include both Swedish spring songs, such as Nu Grönskar Det and Men Liljorna De Växa Upp on Våren, and compositions by J.S. Bach, Lina Sandell, Igor Stravinsky, Clint Needham, and others.
The concert will also feature our collaboration with Mariela Shaker, a violinist originally from Aleppo, Syria, on an arrangement of Syrian, Swedish, and Greek folk songs. Now based in Chicago, Mariela Shaker is now a graduate student at DePaul University’s School of Music, and she will also perform a few solo pieces during the concert.
Tickets for the concert are available for purchase on the Museum’s website below: $10 in advance for adults (children under age 10 are free) and $15 at the door.
The Merula choir was founded in 2011 after a traditional Lucia performance, and the mixed group decided to sing together year round. Under the artistic direction of Göran Anner (2011-2015) and now Sean Ellis Hussey (2015-current), the choir works to bring Swedish music, composers, and issues to our listening audience with a twist of fun. We welcome new singers (previous singing experience helpful) throughout the year and rehearse weekly on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 pm at the Swedish American Museum.
