ECC to feature music from around the world

Four talented musical groups from around the world have one goal in mind -- to immerse the city of Elgin and surrounding communities in the music and culture of their countries.

A partnership between the Elgin Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center and Arts Midwest, a nonprofit regional arts organization, will make it possible through Arts Midwest World Fest.

Over the next two years, four ensembles representing the traditional music of Mexico, Israel, China and Canada will participate in weeklong visits aimed at inspiring arts enrichment and furthering an appreciation for diversity and world cultures.

"We dare you to fall in love with another culture," said Steve Duchrow, director of the ECC Arts Center.

"We believe that in mere minutes, the arts obliterate cultural chasms that are centuries old. Music and art are precision instruments that cut a giant path through the tangle of cultural, emotional and global misunderstanding."

Beginning this month, ECC will welcome the first ensemble, Mexican Son Jarocho group Los Utrera. The Israeli band Esta will arrive in February.

An Da Union, a group of 10 young musicians from Inner Mongolia, and the French Canadian ensemble Mauvais Sort are scheduled to participate during the 2008-09 season.

"Our goal is to make lasting impressions on the communities that host Arts Midwest World Fest," said David Fraher, executive director of Arts Midwest.

"Therefore, our musicians do not simply perform one evening and leave. Our ensembles conduct extensive residencies, where they perform at schools and at community venues.

"They conduct dozens of workshops about their culture, music and language. To support the learning experiences for children, Arts Midwest has created comprehensive curriculum materials for various grade levels."

Their weeklong visits, starting with Los Utrera, will consist of 15 events, including a public performance at the ECC Arts Center Friday, mini-concerts, workshops and community dinners.

Elementary through college-aged students, community organizations and businesses will have the opportunity to participate in the interactive workshops led by the ensembles, which will focus on their distinctive music and cultures.

Los Utrera workshops with students are scheduled for ECC, Larkin High School, Willard Elementary, Abbott Middle School and Washington Elementary, all in Elgin.

Highlights of Los Utrera's performances and workshops include demonstrating "zapateado," which is percussive dancing on a wooden platform, and performing with a variety of traditional instruments.

Los Utrera interprets and recreates music in verse and dance from the Son Jarocho tradition, which blends Spanish, African and indigenous influences. The ensemble has a reputation for exploring the traditional roots of song, as well as showing the relationships between the diverse cultures and contemporary world music genres.

The public performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Blizzard Theatre at ECC's Arts Center on the main campus, 1700 Spartan Drive in Elgin. Tickets are $15.

Tickets are now available online at www.elgin.edu/arts or at the ECC box office 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 details about the ECC 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.

For details on Arts Midwest World Fest, visit www. artsmidwestworldfest.org.