On May 2, 2021, Arts & Faith St. Louis presented "Stories of Hope" to a virtual audience in the St. Louis Storytelling Festival. The four stories were inspiring accounts of moments in history when the arts united people of differing faiths and cultures.

Timothy O’Leary, former General Director of Opera Theatre St. Louis, now head of Washington National Opera, describes the dialogue between the Jewish and Muslim communities that preceded a controversial Opera Theatre production of The Death of Klinghoffer.

Duane Foster, professional singer and teacher at Normandy High school, tells the story of how music brought the St. Louis community together in the immediate aftermath of Ferguson.

Chris Sutton, storyteller and actor, portrays in costume a St. Louis-born Union soldier who witnesses the creation of a new bugle call that became the anthem "Taps."

Carole Shelton, retired educator and author, tells a Missouri slave narrative based on an actual interview from the W.P.A. Federal Writers Project.

See the videos on the Arts & Faith You Tube channel

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Save the date! Our 10th anniversary Interfaith Concert is scheduled for

Sunday September 12, 2021 at 4 p.m.

Featuring a virtual choir of talented young people, soprano Christine Brewer and more.

2021 Storytelling Events

Arts & Faith St. Louis brought "Stories of Hope" to a virtual audience on May 2, 2021 as part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival

Timothy O'Leary, the former director of Opera Theatre St. Louis, told of how an original opera ignited a dialogue between Jewish, Muslim and other faith communities;

Duane Foster, Broadway vocalist and teacher at Normandy High School, revealed how a musical performance brought the community together after events in Ferguson;

Chris Sutton, actor and entertainer, portrayed a St. Louis-born Union soldier who witnesses a bugle call on a blood-soaked battlefield that became the well-known anthem "Taps"; and

Carole Shelton, storyteller, author and retired educator, told a Missouri slave narrative based on an actual interview from the W.P.A. Federal Writers project.

"Stories of Hope" was a free virtual event and is part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival's

"Journey of Stories Across Missouri."

On July 22, 2020 a virtual free children's storytelling event included these four special storytellers with their "Stories of Compassion" for children:

Patty Carleton – Baha’i storyteller, former children’s librarian at St. Louis Public Library

Barbara Raznick – Jewish storyteller, former head of Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library

Janet Brown – Episcopal, arts educator and theater teacher

Dr. Sumbul Meraj, M.D. – Muslim storyteller, Infectious Disease Specialist at St. Elizabeth Hospital and Memorial Hospital

On April 26, 2020 Arts & Faith St. Louis co-hosted with the St. Louis Storytelling Festival our first virtual storytelling event "STORIES OF COMPASSION"

Four storytellers from Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish faith communities in the St. Louis region presented their “Stories of Compassion”:

David Greenhaw of Eden Seminary - "On Epidemics and Orphans"

Bala Anantharama of the Hindu Faith - “Global Well-Being”

Mufti Asif Omar of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis - "Story of a Rider and An Old Man"

Rabbi James Stone Goodman of Central Reform Congregation - “Marabout"

Below is the full video of the April 26, 2020 virtual storytelling event. Click the arrow in the bottom left corner to play.

Early 2020 the Arts & Faith St. Louis Interfaith Tours at the Saint Louis Art Museum were canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions. We hope to resume Interfaith Tours in the not too distant future.

Our 2019 concert...

Ninth Annual Arts & Faith St. Louis Interfaith Concert

"Songs of Hope"

September 15, 2019 The Sheldon Concert Hall

The Concert: Adult and Young performers, Musicians, Christine Brewer, Stephanie Berg, Maria Ellis

Last year’s concert, “Songs of Hope”, featured both adult and young singers and musicians from six faith communities – including Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist vocal ensembles from across the metropolitan area who shared their songs and music of hope. Also featured was celebrated soprano Christine Brewer, who performed new music by composer and clarinetist Stephanie Berg that premiered at Powell Symphony Hall, and a specially-assembled Interfaith Youth Chorus led by Maria Ellis.

Storytelling

A storyteller, Nartana Premachandra, was chosen to share "words of hope" in collaboration with the MU Extension Division Storytelling Festival.

Post-Event Outside: #HopeMural

After the concert the audience mingled outside on Washington Boulevard with the artists and faith ensembles and participated in creating “#HopeMural” developed by an interfaith group of teens through Interfaith Quest led by Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez.

Overview Video: http://bit.ly/2kXRbLM

Full Concert Video: http://bit.ly/2kXRbLM

September 16, 2018 The Sheldon Concert Hall

The Concert: Adult and Young performers, Musicians, Christine Brewer, the 442s

The 2018 concert featured both adult and young singers and musicians from faith communities across the metropolitan area who shared their treasured music with us. Also performing was celebrated soprano Christine Brewer and the 442s, an ensemble including members of our own St. Louis Symphony.

Video Interludes

The audience experienced short video interludes that set the context for the musical performances all tuned to build bridges of understanding.

Post-Event Outside

Immediately following the concert, performers and audience members mingled and continued their interfaith journeys out in front of The Sheldon where displays of interactive activities will be available.

Pre-Event Radio Interview

An interview on RAF-STL radio was conducted by Kathy Lawton Brown on September 11, 2018 with performers at this year's concert, Christine Brewer and Adam Manass, as well as Mont Levy of Arts & Faith St. Louis. Run time: 39 minutes.

Click on link: Arts-FaithSTL2018.mp3

Go to "2018 Concert" Tab for the Program, Photos, and Full Video of the Event

Youth groups perform "Love is Love", a new composition by Adam Maness, with Julia Bullock, St. Louis native and fast-rising soprano

Arts & Faith St. Louis: "Building Bridges"

"Interfaith Journeys for Teens" -- A Video Project

Click here or go to the "Teen Video Project" tab to see more!

Images from Previous Arts & Faith St. Louis Interfaith Concerts