Saint Paul, Minn. - On Saturday, Aug. 23 at 2:30 p.m., the Prairie Arts Chorale will attend the Minnesota State Fair to premier an original composition as part of Minnesota Voices, a statewide commissioning project that connects composers with community choruses throughout Minnesota in commemoration of the state's Sesquicentennial. The 28-voice Chorale joins five other participating choirs in celebrating Minnesota's 150th birthday through this first-of-its-kind musical tour.

Each choir - representing voices young and old from the Twin Cities and Minnesota's Southwest, Southeast, Northwest and Northeast regions - will perform their individually commissioned works. To close the concert, the ensembles will form a massed choir of more than 300 voices to premiere a new work highlighting Minnesota's heritage written specifically for the occasion.

"Our choir is excited to attend the State Fair and proud to represent the Southwest region as part of the Minnesota Voices project," said Patricia Kazarow, musical director of the Prairie Arts Chorale. "It's incredibly rewarding to be a part of this statewide choral community, and to have the opportunity to showcase our region's beauty and diversity through music on one of the state's largest stages."

Composer Brian Schmidt, recognized as one of America's finest young conductors and composers, wrote the Prairie Arts Chorale's individual piece. In doing so, Schmidt studied poetry, historical text and novels, and got to know the voices that comprise both choirs to develop an original piece of music reflecting the people and places unique to Southwest Minnesota.

Minnesota Voices is organized by St. Paul-based American Composers Forum (ACF), the nation's premier composer service organization, in partnership with the Minnesota Chorale. Composer Carol Barnett and poet Marisha Chamberlain collaborated to create the Minnesota State Fair premier piece, "Minnesota, That's Me," to be conducted by Kathy Saltzman Romey, artistic director of the Minnesota Chorale.
"Minnesota's Sesquicentennial is all about celebrating the things that make our great state a unique and truly rewarding place to live," said ACF president John Nuechterlein. "Music has long played a significant role in our 150 years of statehood, so what better way to honor this tradition than by bringing together composers, conductors, choirs and communities from across the state."

The Minnesota Voices concert will be held at the State Fair Bandshell on Cosgrove Street. For concert details, contact Craig Carnahan, American Composers Forum, 651-251-2833.

American Composers Forum
Founded in St. Paul, Minn., in 1973, the American Composers Forum (ACF) fosters connections between communities, composers and performers to create new music that is reflective of the community and serves as a form of artistic expression, inspiration and self-reflection for all who take part. With more than 1,700 members from both urban and rural areas, the ACF commissions hundreds of pieces in communities in all 50 states; and its community-building programs are rare national examples of the connections that are needed to assure new and emerging artists have meaningful opportunities to represent current societal issues through music. For more information, visit www.americancomposersforum.com.