MARSHALL — The Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra (WASO) has been awarded a $16,000 Art Legacy Project Grant by the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to work with Paul LaRoche, founder and producer of the award-winning Native American music group Brulé, on a series of engagements with Worthington.
“Silent Star Night” is the theme for this year's WASO holiday concerts, scheduled for Nov. 23 and 24, and the orchestra will join with Brulé and their dancers in full regalia for the concert. Preceding those performances, four community events will be hosted to include, educate and inform the public.
First, WASO participated in Worthington's annual King Turkey Day Parade, and LaRoche was the festival’s featured speaker. In October, a food and fellowship event at Phileo's Coffee & Eatery will offer the public a chance to meet, greet and hear from LaRoche about his endeavors and upcoming concerts with WASO. In November, a reception will take place that invites local business owners to connect with Brulé's musicians and dancers as well as WASO's leadership team. Lastly, two school programs will offer students the chance to hear about LaRoche's life and music.
WASO and Brulé also collaborated for a concert together in a sold-out performance in November 2015.
