11/18/2025
Join musicians from Grammy-nominated, musician-led string ensemble Palaver Strings, of Portland, Maine, for an evening performance of their collection Testimonies on Friday, December 5th at 7 p.m. at Wanderwood. This chamber performance will feature four of Palaver’s talented musicians: Maïthéna Girault and Grant Houston on violin, Elizabeth Moore on viola, and Matthew Smith on cello.
Palaver Strings, a non-profit, has a mission to strengthen and inspire community through music. Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Equally committed to performance and education, Palaver presents a full season of live concerts and serves hundreds of students yearly at the Palaver Music Center in Portland.
The collection Testimonies draws from personal stories, historical documents, and academic revival, inviting the listener to engage with themes of heritage, home, and remembrance. Charlton Singleton’s Testimony evokes Gullah traditions and the music of the African Methodist Church, while Derrick Skye’s American Mirror reflects on American multiculturalism more broadly. Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate’s Pisachi (Reveal) draws on Pueblo and Hopi traditional music, and Shelly Washington’s Middleground meditates on home as both physical and emotional refuge. The pieces in Testimonies encourage reflection on identity and cultural legacy.
Their performance will take place in Wanderwood's beautifully renovated (and heated!) 1850s barn in Nobleboro, located at 79 Sidelinger Road. The show will be on Friday, December 5, 2025 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.) Tickets are $30, limited, and must be purchased in advance; all sales are final.
Tickets are available on Wanderwood's website: wanderwoodmaine.com/ourevents
Photo by Titilayo Ayangade