Sanctuary: An Immigrant Experience Residency
About the residency
Join us for “Sanctuary,” a moving residency project by critically acclaimed composer and pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj. Exploring the full spectrum of the immigrant experience—from hope and wonder to struggle and strife—the work is inspired by Kaviraj’s own journey from Oman to the Twin Cities and his family’s rich musical ancestry.
This event is a featured part of Recomposing America, a multi-year initiative by the American Composers Forum designed to cultivate dialogue around the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by centering stories and approaches that challenge traditional historical narratives.
Event Details
- Date/Time: Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 | 7 PM—8 PM
- Location: Walker|West Music Academy Performance Hall, 650 Marshall Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104
- Admission: Free with registration
ABOUT AMERICAN COMPOSERS FORUM
ACF’s mission is to support and advocate for individuals and groups creating music today by demonstrating the vitality and relevance of their art. We do this by empowering composers, modeling creative partnerships, and advocating for new music through storytelling and connections. Working with an ecosystem of artists, programmers, presenters, teachers, funders, and audiences, we frame all of our work with a commitment to anti-racism, believing that creating a fairer world for artists benefits all of us.
Founded in 1973 by composers Libby Larsen and Stephen Paulus as the Minnesota Composers Forum, the organization continues to invest in its Minnesota home while connecting artists and advocates across the United States, its territories, and beyond. ACF frames our work with a focus on anti-racism and includes within that scope (but does not limit it to) equitable engagement of diverse gender identities, musical approaches and perspectives, religions, ages, (dis)abilities, cultures, backgrounds, sexual orientations, and broad definitions of “American.”
Visit www.composersforum.org for more information.
Recomposing America is a multi-year initiative led by American Composers Forum that highlights artistic perspectives unique to the United States and the broader Americas through direct commissions, institutional collaborations, and public dialogue. Timed with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Recomposing America aims to refresh and reimagine the “who,” “what,” and “why” of the United States, and the stories therein.
Music has always told the story of the United States. From anthems that forged unity and protest songs that challenged power, to the intimate soundtracks of our daily lives, music composition is a vessel to chart the stories, ideas, and origins of people and communities. Recomposing America is a platform that expands on this legacy by centering the role of music in our past and future stories — an evolving score shaped by many people and cultures across the U.S.
About Kavyesh
An instructor at Walker|West Music Academy, Kavyesh Kaviraj is a critically acclaimed Twin Cities-based composer, arranger, and pianist. He has performed alongside international icons like Wynton Marsalis and local legends such as The Steeles. Born in Oman and trained at Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute, his eclectic work spans jazz, hip-hop, Carnatic, and Hindustani traditions. A passionate educator and composer, his arrangements have been featured on national radio, TV, and in collaborative exhibitions across the country.
