The world premiere of “Border Songs” by Marjorie M. Rusche will be performed by Maura Janton Cock (soprano), Stacy Maugans (alto saxophone, commissioner of the work), and Joseph Bognar (piano) at 5pm on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Duesenberg Recital Hall in the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. The program will include a brief lecture by Dan Beirne (a Valpo alum), who serves as Director for Mobilization & Faith Relations of Global Refuge. Dr. Rusche drew inspiration for the lyrics and music from Jeremiah 8:15, immigrant interviews and surveys, the American folk song “I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Ulysses,” and Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall.” Thus, this new musical work bridges past and present, classical and contemporary cultures, all relating to borders, journeys, and the quest for a better world. We welcome the community to this free program, which is made possible in part by an Arts Project Support grant from South Shore Arts and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.