TORONTO, February 26, 2008 -- Got the travel bug but can’t leave town? York University’s World Music Festival offers a sonic tour March 12 to 16, spotlighting musical traditions of five continents.
From West African drums and Chinese orchestra to steelpan, flamenco and Klezmer music, you can sample the world’s musical cultures in nine free concerts taking place at York’s Keele campus during the university’s third annual Fine Arts Festival. Produced by ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist Rob Simms, 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 kicks off with Bassam Shahouk’s Middle Eastern Ensemble and the Klezmer Ensemble directed by Brian Katz. It culminates five days later with the rousing 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.
In between, you’re 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 12 in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall
12:30pm Middle Eastern Ensemble – Bassam Shahouk, director & Klezmer Ensemble – Brian Katz, director
7:30pm Balkan Ensemble – Irene Markoff, director
March 13 in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall
12:30pm Flamenco Guitars – Roger Scannura, director & World Music Chorus – Andrea Kuzmich, director
7:30pm Chinese Orchestra – Kim Chow-Morris and Patty Chan, directors
March 14 in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall
12:30pm Japanese Ensemble – Linda Caplan, director & Korean Ensembles –Charles Hong, director
7:30pm Cuban Ensembles directed by Ruben Esguerra, David Font Navarrete, Steven Mancuso, Paul Ormandy
March 14 in the ACE Lounge, 219 Accolade East
12:30pm African American Ensemble – Catherine Wilson, director
March 15 in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall
7:30pm Caribbean Ensemble – Lindy Burgess, director & Escola de Samba – Rick Lazar, director
March 16 in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall
7:30pm West African Ensembles:
Mande – Anna Melnikoff & Isaac Akrong, directors
Ghanaian – Kwasi Dunyo & Larry Graves, directors
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What: York World Music Festival
When: March 12 to 16 with concerts at 12:30pm and/or 7:30pm
Where: Accolade East Building, York University, 4700 Keele St.
Admission: Free
Information: www.yorku.ca/finearts/festival
The Faculty of Fine Arts at York University spotlights its resident talent in a three-week festival packed with 40 exciting and entertaining events. Running March 11 to 31, the York Fine Arts Festival features exhibitions and films, theatre and dance productions, and a wide variety of classical, jazz and world music concerts. Events take place in state-of-the-art facilities at York University’s Keele campus.
York’s Faculty of Fine Arts is one of North America’s leading and largest centres for fine arts education. A vibrant community of some 280 faculty and 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students, it offers academic studies and professional training in all the fine arts. For a generation, York Fine Arts has been a premier launching pad for outstanding young talent and a major contributor to the arts and cultural scene in Toronto, Canada and beyond.
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Media contact:
Amy Stewart, Communications, Faculty of Fine Arts, York U
416.736.2100 ext. 20421 | amy.stewart@yorku.ca
