“Tratando de Ser” / ”Trying to Be”

Commissioned by NYC mezzo-soprano Victoria Thomasch for her 4th annual Recital for Refugees fundraising concert, “Tratando de Ser”/”Trying to Be” is a guitar and voice duet with lyrics set to the poetry of Chicana poet, author, and professor Norma Elia Cantú. Inspired by the recent crises involving refugees seeking asylum at the U.S./Mexico border, “Tratando de Ser” is based on stanzas I. and II. of “Tratando de Ser”/”Trying to Be” of “Song of the Borderlands” from Meditación Fronteriza: Poems of Love, Life, and Labor (University of Arizona Press) by Norma Elia Cantú and aims to remind others that those seeking refuge are just like everyone else - like you and like me.

THE EVENT

“We will continue to sing until everyone finds a place to call home.”

In October of 2020, the 4th Annual Recital for Refugees concert became virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was live-streamed from New York City featuring talented and classically trained singers, including some from the Finger Lakes Opera. All donations accrued for this fundraising concert benefited the International Refugee Committee (IRC), due to their work in over 40 countries to provide clean water, shelter, health care, education, and support to refugees and displaced people around the world. Today, the annual Recital for Refugees concert series continues to raise awareness for the global refugee crisis and has raised over $13,000 in donations.

For more information on the “Recital for Refugees” charity event, please visit Charity.GoFundMe.com/RFR2020

For more on the International Refugee Committee and to learn more about how you can help, please visit www.rescue.org

THE PEOPLE