The Score | New Houston Voices

This June, the Houston Symphony and Composer in Residence Jimmy López unveiled music created for the Resilient Sounds project, which paired members of Houston’s refugee community with young composers (from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music) to tell each refugee’s story through music. Under López’s mentorship, each composer created a chamber work with an artistic partner. Six works were performed by musicians of the Houston Symphony on June 11, leading up to World Refugee Day. The composers included Victor Rangel, whose music told the story of Syrian refugee Dayana Halawo; and Erin Graham, paired with refugee partner Salemu, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Houston Symphony Executive Director John Mangum said, “The Resilient Sounds project is an opportunity for us to bring the orchestra to a different part of the community.” López noted that the project connected composers “with refugees who are Houstonians as well. They are both part of the fabric of this society.”