Poetry inspires a world premiere at Walker Art Center this week

Composer Ted Hearne is a conceptualist whose multimedia projects are highly anticipated. His last one, "Place," deployed an 18-piece chamber orchestra, six voices and assistance from hip-hop poet Saul Williams for an 80-minute examination of gentrification and displacement. Before that he launched "Sound From the Bench," which set oral arguments from the Supreme Court to electric guitar, drums and a choir. Now comes "In Your Mouth," a world premiere co-commissioned by Walker Art Center, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music program, and Carnegie Hall. This 12-song suite, inspired by the poetry of Dorothea Lasky, features Hearne on voice and electronics backed by a live quintet and a real-time art installation by Rachel Perry. Come early Thursday to see Lasky do a preshow reading at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. Thu.-Fri., McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center, Mpls. $26. walkerart.org)