The Oregon Symphony, Path Home, and Family Preservation Project Present Lullaby Project Concert on May 12

PORTLAND, Ore. – Music has always had the power to heal and transform lives. On May 12, the Lullaby Project will bring original lullabies to the Alberta Rose Theatre in a creative partnership between the Oregon Symphony, Path Home, Family Preservation Project, and some of Portland’s most talented singer-songwriters. Tickets are $12 and are available for purchase online through the Oregon Symphony website. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 6:30 p.m. www.family-preservation-project.org

Originally developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, the Lullaby Project came to Portland in 2018 as a partnership with Path Home, a nonprofit helping to empower families experiencing homelessness to get back into stable, long-term housing. The creative collaboration between the Oregon Symphony and local singer-songwriters harnesses the transformative joy of music to help improve the well-being of vulnerable families, strengthen bonds with their children, and bring the community together. 

Each original lullaby is written in a close, collaborative process between families and songwriters. During the creative sessions, songwriters work with parents to capture their personal story and hopes and dreams for their child’s future. The lullabies are then arranged and professionally recorded, prior to public performance.

“The Lullaby Project concert is one of the most joyful events at Path Home,” says Brandi Tuck, executive director of Path Home. “I love watching our families form bonds with the musicians and create songs and memories that help them move closer towards healing from trauma. The lullabies share each family’s challenges, but also their love and dreams for their child’s future.”

This year, the Oregon Symphony also embarks on an expanded collaboration with the Family Preservation Project at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, bringing the power of songwriting to mothers experiencing incarceration. Teaching artists will work with 6 mothers in 1:1 creative sessions to write songs for their children, which will then be performed for the women of Coffee Creek, along with lullabies from the Path Home sessions, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

“At the Oregon Symphony, we believe in the profound impact of music as a tool for healing and creating community connections,” says Paul Snyder, president and CEO of the Oregon Symphony. “By empowering parents to write a personal lullaby for their children, this program fosters deep emotional bonds while nurturing creativity. Music is not only an important art form, but a human experience that creates moments of joy and meaning for these families.” 

Portland singer-songwriters for the event include:  

• Marianna Thielen (Artistic Director) 
• Amenta Abioto (Yawa) 
• Sarah Clarke 
• Bre Gregg 
• Marilyn Keller 
• Kyleen King 
• Naomi LaViolette 
• Stephanie Schneiderman 
• Ximena Violante 
• Holcombe Waller 
• Beth Wood

Oregon Symphony musicians include:  

• Colin Corner, double bass 
• Zachariah Galatis, flute 
• Amanda Grimm, viola 
• Kevin Kunkel, cello 
• Vijeta Sathyaraj, violin 
• Inés Voglar Belgique, violin 

For more information on the Lullaby Project and to hear past lullaby collections, visit www.orsymphony.org/lullaby-project. 

The Lullaby Project is supported in part by a generous gift from the Zera Foundation. It is also supported by funds from the Oregon Arts Commission, a policy-making and advisory body within the Oregon Business Development Department, funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT THE OREGON SYMPHONY 

The multi-GRAMMY Award-nominated Oregon Symphony, led by Jean Vollum Music Director David Danzmayr, serves hundreds of thousands of people annually through concerts, education initiatives, and community programs. With a 130-year legacy, it is the oldest orchestra in the Western United States. Learn more at www.orsymphony.org and follow the Oregon Symphony on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

ABOUT PATH HOME 

Path Home is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness in Oregon through trauma-informed, evidence-based programming. With a focus on long-term housing stability and systemic change, Path Home provides a range of services—including homelessness prevention, emergency shelter services, rapid re-housing, and housing retention programs—tailored to the needs of vulnerable families. By empowering families with resources, education, and support, Path Home aims to create lasting, positive change for Oregon’s most at-risk families. For more information, please visit www.path-home.org. 

ABOUT FAMILY PRESERVATION PROJECT 

Family Preservation Project strengthens families and communities by assisting incarcerated women as they become rooted in their identities as mothers, promoting the rights of children of incarcerated parents, and providing trauma-informed services designed specifically for each parent’s unique needs. Learn more about their advocacy and history at www.family-preservation-project.org. 

Media Contact: Caroline Surrett, Communications & Content Manager, csurrett@orsymphony.org