Israeli world music group to perform at ECC

Esta, an Israeli-based ensemble that performs a musical stew of jazz, rock and world rhythms, will perform on Saturday at the Elgin Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center.

The performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the center's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets are $15.

Born in Israel, the members of Esta not only draw their musical style from the that nation, but from the countries of their parents: immigrants to Israel from Bulgaria, Russia, Iraq, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Iran. Their distinctive sound simmers with Middle Eastern, Balkan, Mediterranean, Jewish, African and Celtic influences.

Esta performed in 1998 at the White House for former President Bill Clinton in commemoration of Israel's 50th anniversary. The band's current recording, "Home Made World," features covers from U2 and the Moody Blues.

The performance is part of the Arts Midwest World Fest, a partnership between ECC's Visual and Performing Arts Center and Arts Midwest bringing ensembles representing the traditional music of various countries to the college for weeklong visits aimed at inspiring arts enrichment and furthering an appreciation for diversity and world cultures.

Esta's visit to ECC will involve 15 events this week that includes mini-concerts and interactive workshops at area schools and community venues in the Elgin community, before concluding with its Saturday performance.

Two other ensembles -- An Da Union, a group from Inner Mongolia, and the French Canadian ensemble Mauvais Sort -- will conduct the same types of visits during the center's 2008-09 season.

Tickets for all performances in ECC's Arts Center are now available online at www.elgin.edu/arts or at the ECC box office located in the Arts Center. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted. For information about the Arts Center's season, visit www.elgin.edu/arts.

Arts Midwest World Fest is a global arts and education and outreach performing arts program designed to provide inspiring arts enrichment while it instills appreciation for diversity and encourages acceptance of others and their cultures. Arts Midwest World Fest is a program of Arts Midwest in partnership with its member state arts agencies: Illinois Arts Council, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, and Wisconsin State Arts Board.

An Arts Midwest initiative, the Arts Midwest World Fest is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, 3M Foundation, Verizon Foundation, Risdall Marketing Group, Quebec Delegation du Chicago, Canadian Consulate General-Minneapolis, The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, the Muskegon Chronicle, Amstore Corp., the Muskegon Jewish community, the Muskegon Rotary Club, and the WKK Fund of Dorothy A. Johnson.