Got the travel bug but can’t leave town? York University’s World Music Festival offers a sonic tour spotlighting musical traditions of five continents. The festival began yesterday and continues to March 16 in the Accolade East Building.
From West African drums and Chinese orchestra to steelpan, flamenco and Klezmer music, the festival presents a sampling of the world’s musical cultures in a series of free concerts taking place at York’s Keele campus. Produced by ethnomusicologist, multi-instrumentalist and York music Professor Rob Simms (right), the lineup of midday and evening concerts highlights some of the 20+ international cultures represented in York’s world music program.
The world music fest kicked off Wednesday afternoon with a rousing performance by the Middle Eastern Ensemble, directed by York music faculty member Bassam Shahouk, and the Klezmer Ensemble, directed by Brian Katz, another music faculty member. The festival culminates March 16 with the dynamic rhythms of West African drumming in a shared concert featuring Mande and Ghanaian Ensembles directed by Isaac Akrong, Anna Melnikoff, Kwasi Dunyo and Larry Graves.
During the festival, audiences are invited to travel the globe with the Balkan Ensemble led by Irene Markoff, followed by a double bill featuring Roger Scannura’s flamenco guitars and the World Music Chorus led by Andrea Kuzmich. Next up is a tour of Asia with the classical Chinese Orchestra directed by Kim Chow-Morris and Patty Chan, the Japanese Ensemble led by Linda Caplan, and Korean drums directed by Charles Hong. Closer to home, things heat up with Catherine Wilson’s African American Ensemble; four Cuban Ensembles directed by Ruben Esguerra, David Font Navarrete, Steven Mancuso and Paul Ormandy; and a concert with Lindy Burgess’ Caribbean Ensemble and Rick Lazar’s Escola de Samba where the steelpan drums of the islands meet the pulsating rhythms of Brazil.
- March 13
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 12:30pm
Flamenco Guitars – Roger Scannura, director
World Music Chorus – Andrea Kuzmich, director
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 7:30pm
Chinese Orchestra – Kim Chow-Morris and Patty Chan, directors
- March 14
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 12:30pm
Japanese Ensemble – Linda Caplan, director
Korean Ensembles – Charles Hong, directorACE Lounge, 219 Accolade East, at 12:30pm
African American Ensemble – Catherine Wilson, director
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 7:30pm
Cuban Ensembles – Ruben Esguerra, David Font Navarrete, Steven Mancuso, Paul Ormandy, directors
- March 15
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 7:30pm
Caribbean Ensemble – Lindy Burgess, director
Escola de Samba – Rick Lazar, director - March 16
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, at 7:30pm
West African Ensembles – Anna Melnikoff and Isaac Akrong, Mande directors, with Kwasi Dunyo and Larry Graves, Ghana directors
All performances are free and open to the public. Visit the Faculty of Fine Arts Festival Web site for more information on all the events.