by Molly Walsh
Looking beyond a street address, the word “home” can evoke a collage of meanings and memories. For some, home could resemble laughter at the dinner table while passing around a beloved family recipe. For others, it could be the sunlight that filters through the curtains of the storybook window. And for some, the thought of home may resurface bittersweet memories, like a sense of longing to reunite with loved ones after many months apart.
Through the upcoming choral performances of, “This Place, Our Home,” on March 14 and 15, Choral Arts Northwest will use music to examine the concept of home in its many iterations. “This Place, Our Home,” will feature a lineup of historical and modern compositions that center around the themes of housing, belonging and connection, as well as the world premiere of a commissioned piece from Alex Nguyễn, musician and Choral Arts Northwest tenor.
Choral Arts Northwest is a non-profit choral ensemble rooted in Seattle that works to develop a curated concert series lineup, with music that ties back to world cultures, historical events and pressing modern-day issues.
Choral Arts Northwest’s current season opened in October 2025,with “Earthrise: Around the Moon for All Humanity.” The celestial concert playlist was inspired by the upcoming “Artemis II” lunar flyby mission that is expected to launch in spring 2026. And to commemorate the 2025 holiday season, Choral Arts Northwest performed “Nordic Jul” featuring seasonal carols from Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.
Choral Arts Northwest is made up of around 50 singers, many of whom have a background in music education. In addition, Choral Arts Northwest often collaborates with regional nonprofit and community music organizations throughout the concert season.
Access to housing, particularly affordable housing, is top of mind for many across the Pacific Northwest and United States. And Choral Arts Northwest plans to explore this timely topic through both the moving influence of music, and community partnership.
For the upcoming performances of “This Place, Our Home,” they will partner with the nonprofit organization Solid Ground, which has worked to address poverty and racism in Seattle for more than five decades. Solid Ground’s programming includes housing first services in addition to support for transportation and food access. Choral Arts Northwest’s partnership with Solid Ground will include pre-concert discussions with Solid Ground staff members.’
On Saturday, March 14, the evening performance of “This Place, Our Home,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, with a pre-concert discussion at 7 p.m. On Sunday, March 15, the afternoon performance will take place at 3 p.m at First United Methodist Church, Queen Anne in Seattle, with a pre-concert discussion at 2:30 p.m.
Through the upcoming performances of “This Place, Our Home,” they will examine the concepts of home and belonging, with works that provide space for celebration and contemplation.
According to Timothy Westerhaus, artistic director of Choral Arts Northwest, this sense of home and belonging can manifest both physically and philosophically. In a physical sense, the idea of home may include a place where one can feel safe, spend time with loved ones and take a break from the bustling world. And on a philosophical level, home can relate to a sense of belonging within a family, friend group and the greater neighborhood.
The concert will open with an expert from the song “North” written by Chicago-based songwriter Ryan O’Neal and arranged by George Chung. Choral Arts Northwest will be joined by the Northwest Regional Music Educators Sing-In Choir to perform this piece.
Right: “This Place, Our Home,” will feature the world premiere of “Together, Imagine!” a commissioned piece from composer, Alex Nguyễn (pictured above). Nguyễn collaborated with residents of Solid Ground to craft the piece
The program will include a piece from romantic-era composer Johannes Brahms, “An die Heimat.” Also part of the lineup is “Treat A Stranger Right,” written by Blind Willie Johnson and arranged by Moira Smiley and Alexander Lloyd Blaker, and stems from traditions in African American gospel and blues music.
The second half of the program will include the world premiere of a commissioned piece, “Together, Imagine!” which was written by musician, Alex Nguyễn in collaboration with Solid Ground. Nguyễn incorporated text from children and families who are a part of Solid Ground’s housing programs, who shared their personal visions for the word “home.”
There will also be a performance of “At Home” by Timothy Takach, a composer based in Minnesota. “At Home” is a five-movement suite that outlines a home through the tangible, philosophical and interpersonal, and incorporates the poetry of Wendell Berry and Julia Klatt Singer.
To close out the program, the Northwest Regional Music Educators Sing-In Choir will once again join Choral Arts Northwest for a complete performance of the song “North.”
All photos courtesy of Choral Arts Northwest.
WHAT:
“This Place, Our Home: Exploring Housing and Belonging through Song” from Choral Arts Northwest
WHEN:
Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m., pre-concert discussion begins on stage at 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 15, at 3 p.m., pre-concert discussion begins on stage at 2:30 p.m.
WHERE:
March 14: Trinity Lutheran (Lynnwood), 6215 196th St SW, Lynnwood, Wash.
March 15: First United Methodist Church (Queen Anne), 180 Denny Way, Seattle
HOW MUCH:
$10-$65 (Student admission free with ID)
LEARN MORE:
https://www.choralartsnw.org/season2025/?mc_cid=ced2ccfe4f&mc_eid=a2428577f7#March2026