I decided to write Welcome Table as a follow up to my pieces New Colossus and Give You Rest (both written for the L.A. Choral Lab) to form a set called Songs of Welcome, my personal and continuing musical reflections on being an immigrant in this country.

As a BIPOC, gay immigrant, I often wonder if I will ever be truly welcome in this country. Tensions surrounding immigration are at an all time high, with mothers being separated with their kids, children in detention cells, visa bans; even the legal immigrant status is threatened (as in H1-B workers and F-1/M-1 visa holders a.k.a international students). It seems that people are confusing nationalism and love for country with xenophobia and hatred.

Welcome Table is inspired by and reflects on the civil rights spiritual “I’m Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table,” examining it from the eyes of an immigrant and the other. Perhaps one of these days, we will all be welcome at the table.

Welcome Table is commissioned through Consortio by the following commissioners:

Michael Alfera, L.A. Choral Lab
Jo-Michael Scheibe, USC Chamber Singers
Dan Perkins, New Hampshire Master Chorale
Jeremy Mims, Winthrop University Chorale
Jon Hurty, Augustana Choir
Erik Peregrine, Ensemble Companio
Nicholle Andrews, University of Redlands Chapel Singers
Tim DeBoer, Joliet West High School Concert Choir
Salvatore Diana, The Salvatones
Karen P. Thomas, Seattle Pro Musica