Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Songs of Hope brings messages of peace, love & respect to Minnesota July 9, 2025

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Selections from Jamaica included “Linstead Market” and “Stand Up For Your Rights” at a 2014 Songs of Hope concert in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

HOPE. IT’S A POWERFUL WORD. A universal word. A word that is both noun and verb. Likewise, music is universal in the power it holds.

On Tuesday, July 15, the power of those two words comes to Faribault in a 7 p.m. free performance (donations are encouraged) by Songs of Hope at the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour. The high-energy international performing arts group, which is part of a six-week summer camp in St. Paul, presents songs with messages of peace, love and respect. Therein lies the hope. You’ll leave this show feeling hopeful, that perhaps we can all get along if we work at it, embrace one another and our differences, and follow the lead of these young people.

Song and dance from Vietnam. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2014)

Youth performers from Italy, Vietnam, Guatemala, Jamaica, Turkey, Israel, China and the USA will sing and dance their way into your hearts. I know. I’ve seen this global group perform locally. They’ve been to Faribault multiple times on their out-state Minnesota tour. They uplifted me and gave me hope, along with joy.

The group’s mission is “to share musically the global cultures of its young singers in concerts that mix traditional and popular songs from many countries with English-language songs chosen sometimes to entertain and sometimes to provoke thought.”

Artistic Director Jeanne Junge says, “…when we’re choosing the songs in English, we are careful to include a rich mix of messages, because we feel strongly that audiences need to know that young people in every country see the violence and injustices around them, and they want a better world.”

Isn’t that what we all want? A better world. These select youth, some as young as ten, make this a better world via their concerts. Yet, that they even have to think about, witness and/or experience violence and injustices troubles me. But that is reality world-wide today.

From Italy… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2014)

I encourage you to take in the Songs of Hope show with its song, dance and cultural dress if you have the opportunity. Additional public performances in southeastern Minnesota are set for 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, at LARK Toys in Kellogg (a 20-minute show) and full shows at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at the State Theatre in Zumbrota and Friday, July 18, at Potter Auditorium in Chatfield. To see a list of all upcoming Songs of Hope concerts, click here.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Songs of Hope bringing the world, & hope, to Faribault July 10, 2024

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In July 2014, Songs of Hope performers presented selections from Jamaica, including “Linstead Market” and “Stand Up For Your Rights.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

TEN YEARS AGO, Songs of Hope danced and sang their way into my heart at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault. Now this group of young musicians and performers from around the world will be back in town, this time at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at the historic Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour.

Song and dance from Vietnam. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

I encourage you, if you live in the area, to attend this free 90-minute concert in the Cathedral, which boasts incredible acoustics in a remarkable setting. The concert is part of the Cathedral’s Merner Concert series offering free music to the community.

In nearly constant motion during this 2014 performance in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

Young people from Finland, Italy, Germany, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, Turkey, Madagascar and the USA will present a program that features singing, dancing and cultural dress in a high energy show. I can vouch for that. When I attended the Songs of Hope performance at River Bend in 2014, I felt, heard and saw their energy. I left feeling uplifted and incredibly hopeful about the future of this world.

The message on this singer’s t-shirt is as relevant today as it was during this performance 10 years ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

In a time when there’s so much conflict, so much discontent, so much unease, this coming together of international youth infuses hope into communities. And who doesn’t want to feel hope?

Ready to perform in traditional Chinese attire in 2014. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

These youth are sharing their cultures via their performance art and dress. When we begin to learn about other cultures, we begin to recognize the commonalities among us, rather than that which we think divides us. We all share basic human needs of food, shelter and love.

Songs from Guatemala. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

The name, Songs of Hope, fits this group, which is part of St. Paul-based Sounds of Hope. Youth ages ten and older from around the world attend a six-week overnight performing arts summer camp before heading out on a three-week concert tour. Those concerts are performed in the Twin Cities metro and in communities outside the Cities, primarily in southeastern Minnesota.

Songs of Hope performers present a selection from India. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2014)

To have Songs of Hope back in Faribault, a decidedly diverse, but not always united, community, is a gift to all of us.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

International musicians bring message of hope to Faribault in free concert July 12, 2018

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Songs from Guatemala performed during a previous Songs of Hope concert in Faribault. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo July 2014.

 

THE WORD HOPE holds power. Light over darkness. Joy over despair. Positive over negative.

 

Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

 

I cling to those four letters in this season of great discontent, anger and divisiveness in our nation. I hope. For better days—days when we respect our differences, when we get along, when we treat each other with kindness.

 

Songs of Hope performers present a selection from India. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo 2014.

 

More than ever, we need messages of peace, love and respect. Like those of the St. Paul-based Songs of Hope International Youth Ensemble, performing a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 15, at the Paradise Center for the Arts in historic downtown Faribault.

 

Selections from Jamaica included “Linstead Market” and “Stand Up For Your Rights” at the 2014 concert. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

 

My community, which has experienced its share of issues related to the cultural diversity of our city, needs to hear this music celebrating cultural diversity.

 

Ready to perform in traditional Chinese attire in 2014. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

 

These young people from all around the world will deliver. I attended a Songs of Hope concert in Faribault four years ago. These attendees of a six-week performing arts summer camp totally rocked it with their energy, joy and singing. And messages of hope.

 

Waiting to perform at the 2014 concert at River Bend Nature Center. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo 2014.

 

I hope every single seat in the PCA theater is filled Sunday evening. With peoples of all races—from the many Somali immigrants who live downtown to our Hispanic families to the descendants of those who have always called Faribault home to individuals like me, a transplant from the prairie of southwestern Minnesota.

Copyright 2018 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

These youthful musicians give me hope July 23, 2014

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Songs of Hope performers present a selection from India.

Songs of Hope performers present a selection from India.

IF EVER YOU DESPAIR in today’s young people, consider the youth participating in Songs of Hope, a six-week St. Paul based performing arts summer camp that is part of Sounds of Hope, Ltd.

Labeled suitcases were placed on the grass to inform the audience of the culture featured.

Labeled suitcases and stands denote countries of origin during featured songs.

Consider these young people who travel from all over the world—places like Vietnam, China, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Guatemala—to spread messages of peace, hope, understanding and more via song and dance.

As the sun sets, performers in traditional Vietnamese attire present selections from Vietnam.

As the sun sets, performers in traditional Vietnamese attire present selections from Vietnam.

These musicians lifted my spirits during a 90-minute outdoor concert last Saturday at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.

Ready to perform in traditional Chinese attire.

Ready to perform in traditional Chinese attire.

They give me hope that, despite the unrest in the Gaza Strip, the tense situation in the Ukraine, the continuing war on terror in Afghanistan, the situation along the U.S. southern border, and, yes, even the gun violence in Chicago, we can resolve our differences, overcome cultural and other barriers, and live in peace.

Participating youth from all over the world paint their names on the underside of boxes upon which they perform.

Participating youth from all over the world paint their names  and hand prints on the underside of boxes upon which they perform.

Hope, though sometimes an elusive word, is worth believing in.

BONUS PHOTOS:

Featuring Albania...

Featuring Albania…

Waiting to perform.

Waiting to perform.

Song and dance from Vietnam.

Song and dance from Vietnam.

After the concert, goods from various countries and more were available for purchase. The young woman on the left is a native of Argentina who works as an opera singer in France. She's in the U.S. for a month with Songs of Hope.

After the concert, goods from various countries and more were available for purchase. The young woman on the left is a native of Argentina who works as an opera singer in France. She’s in the U.S. for a month with Songs of Hope.

A sample of the merchandise being sold.

A sample of the merchandise available for purchase.

From Italy...

From Italy…

FYI: Click here to learn more about Sounds of Hope, Ltd.

And click here to view my previous blog post on the Songs of Hope concert in Faribault.

© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Youth from around the world bring songs of hope to Faribault July 22, 2014

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On a perfect summer night, Songs of Hope performed an outdoor concert at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.

On a perfect summer night, Songs of Hope performed an outdoor concert at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.

AS THE GOLDEN ORB of the sun shifted across the sky, as dragonflies dipped above the audience, as a distant train rumbled, Songs of Hope musicians performed before a rapt audience at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault on Saturday evening.

The performers focused on hope, like their name.

The performers focused on hope, like their name.

And the message they brought—in their dancing and in their singing—was hope.

Songs from Guatemala.

Songs from Guatemala.

Inspirational defines these performers who have been attending the St. Paul based international performing arts summer camp, Songs of Hope. Seventy musicians from 15 countries are currently on tour, presenting 33 concerts in 18 days.

Chinese youth perform as the sun sets.

Chinese youth perform as the sun sets.

Songs of Hope is “about people getting together and sharing culture and lives,” Program Director Tom Surprenant said as he introduced the group.

Performing outdoors at River Bend.

Performing outdoors at River Bend.

But with audiences, like the one in Faribault, they share so much more: possibilities, hope, peace, freedom, justice…

In nearly constant motion.

In nearly constant motion.

I was beyond impressed by these young people who sang with such force and enthusiasm and rarely stopped moving as they presented 90 minutes of songs spanning multiple nations from India to Jamaica to Guatemala to Italy to Russia and many other places.

The band provided upbeat music that made you want to dance.

The band provided upbeat music that makes you want to dance.

Even though I could not always understand, music bridges language and cultural differences.

Selections from Jamaica included "Linstead Market" and "Stand Up For Your Rights."

Selections from Jamaica included “Linstead Market” and “Stand Up For Your Rights.”

Truly, skin color, eye shape, height nor any other physical characteristic mattered as these youth performed.

Nevaeh, the daughter of friends, wore the perfect shirt for the concert.

Nevaeh, the daughter of friends, wore the perfect shirt for the concert.

They were to me just kids sharing a hopeful message through song and dance, showing us that we are all human beings who can get along if we make the effort, living in harmony and peace with one another.

Look at the fun these youth were having singing a song, "I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream" about ice cream.

Look at the fun these youth had singing “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream,” a song about ice cream, a universal treat.

Especially moving was the group’s performance of “I Am Malala,” based on the experience of the young Pakistani girl who was shot simply for pursuing education. “Fight for what you believe in…for education…infinite hope.”

Hands joined in hope.

Hands joined in hope.

After attending this concert, I am, indeed, hopeful.

My heart went out to this boy from Israel given the current situation there.

My heart went out to this boy from Israel given the current situation there.

And I expect so is the young soloist from Israel who sported a t-shirt reading “PEACE & HOPE from ISRAEL.”

FYI: CLICK HERE to see a schedule of the remaining performances in the summer concert schedule, which ends on July 27. The final concerts are in St. Paul, Roseville and Montgomery.

Please check back tomorrow for additional photos from the Faribault Songs of Hope concert. If you have an opportunity to attend a performance, do. Songs of Hope will inspire and uplift you.

© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling