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Worldfest 2011-2013

The four bands being featured this week are Tarim from China, Yamma Ensemble from Israel, Cudamani from Bali and Wust el Balad from Egypt. They all performed as part of the Arts Midwest Worldfest 2011-2013 in Hill City. Arts Midwest provides inspiring arts experiences while instilling appreciation for diversity and acceptance of others and their cultures. Arts Midwest selects one community in each of their nine member states to participate in Worldfest and Hill City was one of those communities.

Tarim

Tarim is from the Uygur Region in western China. "Uygur" is a region, a culture, and a language - a dialect of Turkish. This region's historical and cultural influences are diverse, with close relationships to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Tarim: Uygur Song and Dance is part of the Xinjiang National Music Orchestra based in Urumqi, a city of nearly three million people in the far western province of Xinjiang. Theirs are the ancient songs of the Silk Road, the melodies of the Uygurs, the Kazaks, the Kirkiz, and the rhythms of the Hui, the Uzbek, and Tatars.

Yamma Ensemble

We're traveling to Israel to delve into the music of the Yamma Ensemble. Based on traditional and original music mainly from the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, it explores the birth of Israeli traditional music. The ensemble discovered that the early songs of Israel derived from ancient Jewish biblical poetry, from the Jewish communities that were scattered all over the world and from the first European immigrants to Israel.

Cudamani

In the village of Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali - across the street from the temple - is a family compound home to Cudamani. Comprised of young virtuoso musicians and dancers, the company is famous for teaching, performing, and preserving the rich and rare classical Balinese repertoire. Cudamani has provided gamelan and dance instruction to hundreds of young people over their fourteen years of work in Pengosekan. They're one of the few organizations in Bali that teachers gamelan to girls - a realm that until recently, was reserved for males. Their musical versatility is respected in educational circles and sought after by major American composers. The company's accomplishments in both traditional and innovative work have earned Cudamani an international reputation in its tours to the United States, Japan, Canada, Greece and Italy.

Wust el Balad

In 1999, on the streets of downtown Cairo, eight guys formed a band and started living their dream. That's the story behind Wust el Balad, one of the most popular groups in the Arab World - they performed in Hill City in October of 2011 at the Arts Midwest Worldfest. Wust el Balad - which translates to "downtown" - blends traditional Middle Eastern vocals with contemporary Latin rhythms and jazz. Their sound also combines the ancient music of the Egyptian desert with the lively street music of Cairo. During the Egyptian revolution of 2011, one of Wust el Balad's songs actually became an anthem for the throngs of protestors in Tahrir Square.

For more information on these four bands, visit their website: http://www.hillcityarts.org/index.php/programs/arts-midwest-world-fest

Yamma Ensemble
Cudamani
Wust el Balad