Indo-American Heritage Museum celebrates Hall of Fame opening with gala concert
Chicago's Indo-American Heritage Museum today announced a special gala concert to raise funds for the museum which honors the heritage and contributions of the more than two million Americans of Asian Indian origin.
The "Jazz By the Lake" concert, to feature two noted jazz musicians, pianist Vijay Iyer and guitarist Fareed Haque, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at Northwestern University's Mary Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Drive in Evanston.
Born and raised in New York, Iyer is the son of Indian Tamil immigrants. In 2013, he was the recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship often called the "genius" grant because it is awarded to individuals who have shown "extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction."
Sharing the stage with Iyer is Chicago favorite Haque, a guitarist whose long stays in Europe, Asia and South America exposed him to world music from a very early age. This natural eclecticism has become the hallmark of Haque's music.
"This concert is a historic event for the Indian American community of Chicago. IAHM is the first institution in the country to engage with all communities to promote understanding, document the history, celebrate the heritage, preserve and share the contributions of Indian Americans to the building of America. Through the creation of a Hall of Fame we will honor Indian Americans whose achievements are particularly noteworthy," said event chair Amita Banerji. "We are especially honored that two noted jazz artists Vijay Iyer and Fareed Haque have accepted our invitation to perform this gala concert which will inaugurate our newly announced Hall of Fame."
Tickets are $100 for preferred seating (includes admission to after concert reception with artists); $75 general admission (seating on the main floor); or $45 balcony seating.
Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets or by calling (708) 658-4246.
The Indo-American Heritage Museum, a 501(c)3 organization registered in the state of Illinois, was founded in Chicago in 2008. The museum honors the heritage and contributions of the more than two million Americans of Asian Indian origin. Its educational programs, outreach initiatives, web galleries and special events explore the Indian-American experience to promote understanding of its history and explore common ground shared by Americans of all ethnicities. Programs, activities and events have been made possible with support from the Driehaus Foundation, the city of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Exelon Corporation, Chicago Community Trust, Chicago Cultural Alliance, Choose Chicago and generous individual donors. For information, visit iahmuseum.org or www.facebook.com/IAHMuseum/.