A global music festival, directed by Hillyer College Assistant Professor of Music Ju-Yong Ha, will offer free performances and workshops Monday, April 1, through Wednesday, April 3. The Harmony of Cultures: A Global Music Odyssey festival will showcase a lineup of Grammy Award-winning musicians, celebrating the rich tapestry of global music traditions.
Supported by a 2023-24 Provost Grant, which aims to promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice (DEIBJ) within the classroom, the festival includes a series of lectures and workshops aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue within the University community, reflecting its cultural diversity. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the artists, explore various musical traditions, and learn about the significance of expressive culture in a multicultural setting.
The festival will spotlight the diverse musical heritage of Asia, with a special focus on India, Japan, and Korea, as well as the vibrant rhythms of Afro-Caribbean and Colombian music. Esteemed artists include Sita Chay, known for her contemporary violin mastery; Satoshi Takeishi, a world-renowned percussionist; Jay Gandhi, a virtuoso in Indian flute (bansuri); and Martin Vejarano, famed for his skill with the Colombian flute (gaita) and Afro-Caribbean percussion, and Suhail Yusuf, a scholar-performer in Hindustani music and visiting assistant professor of music history at The Hartt School.
Additional funding for the festival is being provided by Hillyer College, The Hartt School, The Humanities Center, University Interdisciplinary Studies (UIS), and the New York Korean Performing Arts Center.
Read more about the festival and learn more about the performers.
