1. T
he old building without a sign on the door disguises
any hint of the hurried preparations taking place inside.
On one side of the main room, rectangular tables are
covered with boxes of pastries and carafes of coffee. The
empty gray walls are lined with stacks of tan metal chairs, now
being arranged into a large circle around the perimeter of the
room. Before long, people begin filtering in until the room is
humming with excited chatter with mostly women ranging from
20-somethings to early 40s. Children run in circles, screaming,
hands sticky with doughnuts and orange juice, giving
sharp contrast to most of the adults in the room who seem
apprehensive and tired, clinging tightly to their cups of steaming
coffee. When 9:30 rolls around, the adults find their seats as the
children are led downstairs to play, and the first session of the
Lullaby Project begins.
The Lullaby Project is an intensive Community Connections
project in which mothers in challenging circumstances come
together with specialized Seattle Symphony teaching artists
and musicians to write, record and perform lullabies for their
children. During this Creative Workshop, the first session of
By KRISTIN SCHNEIDER & THOMASINA SCHMITT
the project, Seattle Symphony teaching artists and staff joined
the staff and mothers of Mary’s Place, a homeless shelter for
families in downtown Seattle. The day began with breakfast,
introductions and sharing of bedtime rituals. After these
introductions the teaching artists paired off with the mothers to
begin writing lullabies for their children. It was an intense day, but
by the end of it, the mothers reported feeling relaxed, comforted
and accomplished — a huge contrast to the stressed and
overwhelmed feeling they reported at the beginning of the day.
A few short months later, after the lullabies had been arranged for
small ensembles and recorded by Seattle Symphony musicians
and teaching artists, Mary’s Place mothers and Seattle Symphony
teaching artists and musicians gathered together once again
for the Sharing Session to listen to the recordings and reflect on
their experiences. As this Sharing Session unfolded, a young new
mother, Emily, sat quietly in her chair, holding her son of only a
few months. At the start of the project, her baby had remained
in his stroller, and the two had interacted very little with one
another. What a change could be seen today, as they were entirely
absorbed with one another, their eyes locked, engaged in a
Mothers and children of Mary’s Place at the Creative Workshop.
10 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG
2. conversation that the rest of us could only guess at. When
asked about her experience of the Lullaby Project, she said:
“I think that doing this project has helped with
stability for both me and my son. Realizing that
here’s the situation that we’re in… but that’s okay.
Because at least we’re together. And we have each
other. And that’s what’s important. It’s helped me to
focus on what it’s really about. It’s given me a focus,
a goal to work toward. He’s my whole world right
now. I can be stressed and pulling my hair out, and
I just hear his cry, and I know that what I’m stressed
about isn’t important. What’s important is taking
care of my son.”
Throughout the Lullaby Project (the creative workshop,
recording session, sharing session and final concert), the
teaching artists and musicians were able to put into words
and into song each mother’s individual stories and hopes
for the future. The mothers and teaching artists, who were
strangers at the start, were able to discuss, maybe for the
first time, such tender topics of safety, loving a child, what
it is to be a parent — all within the safety of a simple song.
And our teaching artists and musicians were there to listen,
to witness, to come alongside.
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.
The Mary’s Place mothers are not the only ones who have
been deeply impacted. Seattle Symphony musicians,
teaching artists and staff along with staff from Mary’s Place
have also been moved by this powerful project.
“I wasn’t expecting this project to be so meaningful to me,”
shared Seattle Symphony flute and piccolo player Zartouhi
Dombourian-Eby. “Not only did it raise our own awareness,
it’s a beautiful reminder that music is a powerful way to
serve the community.”
Mary’s Place Executive Director Marty Hartman commented
on how this project has helped strengthen the partnership
between Mary’s Place and the Seattle Symphony.
The Symphony’s initial contact with Mary’s Place began
through a suggestion from an anonymous major donor
to the Symphony. “Our donor family not only supports
On right: Mothers with Seattle Symphony teaching
artists and musicians at the Creative Workshop.
Photos: Tracey Salazar
encoreartsseattle.com 11
3. us financially,” says Jane Hargraft,
Seattle Symphony Vice President of
Development, “but helps us make
meaningful connections in the
community.”
The partnership with Mary’s Place has
become so strong that they held their
recent fundraiser Brunch for Beds at
Benaroya Hall. The program featured two
live lullaby performances while families
shared their stories of homelessness
and how these lullabies helped them get
through. Seattle Symphony cellist Joy
Payton-Stevens also spoke, sharing that
programs like the Lullaby Project provide
the opportunity to remember why music
is so vital and to see first-hand how
transformative it can be.
This project has also raised the bar
for Seattle Symphony teaching artists.
Several hours of specialized training
goes into preparing the teaching artists
who work directly with the mothers to
help them write their lullabies.
The Seattle Symphony will partner
again with Mary’s Place for this season’s
Lullaby Project. The project will culminate
with a celebration concert which will take
place the weekend of Mother’s Day on
Saturday, May 7, at 3pm in Soundbridge
Seattle Symphony Music Discovery
Center. This free concert will feature live
performances of all the newly created
lullabies and is open to the public.
On right: The Lullaby Project’s
final concert in May 2015.
Photos: Tracey Salazar
12 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG
