Paths to Dignity Project Hosts Bemidji Concerts For Local Homeless Communities

The “Path to Dignity Project” brings musical performances to different homeless communities…and over the past week organizers teamed up with the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra to put on a performance for local provider organizations to bring some light to their days and show compassion…and to restore hope in the arts community, especially with homelessness at an all-time high.

“The piece that’s featured is a concerto written by my dear friend Lucas Richman.” explained Paths to Dignity Co-Founder and Violinist Mitch Newman, “We’ve really brought homeless provider organizations and the symphony as an organization into the community, and it’s actually benefiting both music just as so much good for everybody and the homeless community needs. You know, it’s all about storytelling and they need their stories told and understood and heard.”

The group had several Bemidji performances, including at the Community Table, Bemidji High School Auditorium and the New Day Center. At each stop, the concerto was played with an emphasis on sharing more than just songs.

“The first movement is called ‘Our Stories.'” said Newman, “So not just the homeless stories, but our stories. It’s at once universal and also very specific. The second part of that movement is called ‘Move.’ It’s a jazzy movement, but the move is what homeless people hear all too often. Move. Get out of here. Move.”

The instruments spoke to each other while telling their own stories. Even with call and responses like, ‘This is my story,’ then ‘I hear you. I see you.’ Paths to Dignity hopes to have a longer lasting effect than just a one time concert.

“It gives me hope, you know, and I think it brings hope. The concerto itself ends very hopeful. We’ve had people say, hey, I’ve heard this. I think I’m ready for therapy. I think I’m ready to take the next step in my life from music. Music does a lot of good. It says what we can’t say with words.”

Along with playing their shows, the orchestra also collected winter hats, scarves, and mittens to distribute to those in need in the Bemidji area.