Music Without Borders returns for a second summer, starting on June 22. The free, four-concert lunchtime series takes place on Wednesdays at the Morristown Green, and will highlight sounds of India, China, Colombia and the Balkans.
It’s a joint offering of the Mayo Performing Arts Center and the Arts Council of the Morris Area. More details are below.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEAR’S MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS
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FROM THE ARTS COUNCIL OF THE MORRIS AREA:
(Morristown, NJ) -The Mayo Performing Arts Center, the Arts Council of the Morris Area (with rainsite provided by the United Methodist Church) present their second annual Music Without Borders free summer outdoor lunchtime concert series on the Morristown Green. The series begins June 22 and runs every other Wednesday through August 3. Concerts run from 12 pm – 1:30 pm. Music Without Borders series is sponsored by Novartis.
Each Music Without Borders concert will feature a performance of world music reflecting the diverse culture and population of the area. Brown bag a meal, stop by while walking your dog and experience a world music celebration while getting to know your neighbors. (In case of rain, concerts will be held indoors at the United Methodist Church.except for July 6th when the concert will be cancelled in the event of rain).
“We are thrilled to again offer free entertainment for everyone to enjoy in a way that celebrates the amazing cultural diversity of the area,” said Allison Larena, President and CEO of the Mayo Performing Arts Center.
Anne Aronovitch, Executive Director of the Arts Council of the Morris Area, adds, “It is a thrill to collaborate on this special series and to see the smiles these concerts bring to the faces of our audiences. Music Without Borders is living proof of the adage: ‘music is a universal language.’”
Music Without Borders concert schedule:
(Rain site: Morristown United Methodist Church, except where noted)
June 22: Chia’s Dance Party – Inspired by Colombian rhythmic and melodic traditions, Chia’s Dance Party delivers a unique musical experience of infectious Latino danceable grooves featuring saxophone, flute, tuba and percussion.
July 6 (cancelled in the event of rain): Chalgiya – Chalgiya (Turkish for “orchestra”) plays music from the Balkans – specifically Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Albania. This classic trio instrumentation of clarinet or saxophone, accordion, and traditional drums (tapan or darabouka) brings both the spirit of village dances and the flavor of urban cafe music.
July 20: Music From China Trio – This NY-based chamber trio, which features erhu (2 string fiddle), zheng (21 string zither) and yangqin (hammered dulcimer), has performed with symphonies and such jazz artists as Ornette Coleman. Its program combines Chinese classical and folk arrangements evoking the sonorities of age-old musical traditions along with music of today.
August 3: India: Sounds of the North, Bells of the South –This program showcases vocalist Astha Shukla performing Indian classical, devotional and folk songs accompanied by tabla and harmonium, as well as the intricate traditions of India’s temple dancers, performed by soloists Madhumita and Suba Parmar, and dancers from the Shubanjali school.
The Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey. The 2010-2011 season is made possible in part by a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State. The Mayo Performing Arts Center has been designated a Major Presenting Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
The Arts Council of the Morris Area is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1973 and dedicated to bringing the arts to the center of community life. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, the Arts Council serves as a resource for the arts in Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, and support of the Morris Area community of artists and arts organizations.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts has awarded the Arts Council of the Morris Area a “Citation of Excellence” and designated it as a “Major Service Organization” in recognition of its “solid history of service excellence, substantial activity and broad public service.”
