Bangor Symphony Orchestra Composer Lucas Richman and Mitchell Newman, violinist and concertmaster for the BSO, play classical music at the Columbia Street Baptist Church on Thursday. Richman and Newman launched a project called Paths to Dignity aimed at building a bridge between classical music and homelessness. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik / BDN
Bangor composer is helping local homeless people write songs about their experiences
Two Bangor musicians developed a new project that attempts to bring together two things not often seen together: homelessness and classical music.
The project, called Paths to Dignity, began after Mitchell Newman, a violinist and concertmaster for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, asked the symphony orchestra’s composer Lucas Richman to arrange a concerto with the theme of homelessness.
“Our slogan for the project is to bring dignity, humanity and awareness to those experiencing homelessness, but we found that it does just that for everybody who’s involved,” Newman said. “Everybody has a story.”
The project was developed as Bangor struggles to solve its growing homelessness crisis and assist a population that often grapples with untreated mental health disorders and active substance use. It also presents a rare creative outlet to people often focused on meeting their immediate needs.