Sound = a change in air pressure traveling on waves that tickle the hairs inside your ears. Music = a series of sounds delivered rhythmically to make a song; and World music = sounds that defy American radio format classification. Clear channel sucks, music rules, and the Miami World Music Festival celebrates it in all its glory.
Dr. Adolfo Vidal is a professional concert pianist, and the festival's founder. He says, "In South Florida, everyone is from everywhere. Since we have so many countries here we want to give them all something to enjoy."
The festival is made up of five concert events from Sept 19-22 all of which take place at FIU's Wertheim Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at miamiworldmusicfestival.com or by calling 786-581-7446. Here are the events:
Claude Bolling Suites for Flute & Guitar. Thursday, Sept 19th. 8p.m. $25, $35.
This is a mix of jazz, classical, and a bit of rock and roll composed by a French guy in the 1970s. His album spent an amazing 530 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts. Miami Grammy winner Nestor Torres, Cuban guitarist and UM department head Rafael Padron, and festival founder Adolfo Vidal perform the 7 song concert.
Estampas de Zarzuela, Music of Spain and Cuba, Fri, Sept 20th, 8p.m., $25-$35.
Zarzuela is like a Hispanic opera with a mix of singing and dialogue, almost like a novela before tv was invented. There will be stories of love, lust, and confusion, told in the performances of Luisa Fernanda and Las Leandras.
An African Roots Rhythmic Journey, Venus Rising, Sat., Sept 21st, 8p.m. $25-$35
The festival's headline concert features the all female dance and drum troupe of Venus Rising exploring the movements and rhythms of West Africa, The Caribbean, Brazil, and the Middle East through choreography and improvisation. They utilize a variety of percussion instruments and traditional dance to create a hypnotic melange.
Luz Marina & Menage, Music of Venezuela, Sun. Sept 22nd, 3p.m. $25-$35
Luz Marina is a singer-songwriter whose music is characterized by its lyrical poetic quality. Here she performs alongside piano, contrabass, sax, and bandola llanera (a 16th century instrument related to the lute), in a mix of her own compositions and traditional music. Adolfo Vidal says, "The people of Doral are really gonna appreciate this. That city is full of Venezuelans."
An Evening of Indian Classical Music with Jeff Deen and Vicki Richards, Sun, Sept 22nd, 6p.m., $25-$35
Indian classical music is called Raga, and its a centuries old system of improvisation based on various melodies and rhythms that promote meditation and have physical healing properties when played and listened to. Jeff and Vicki have both studied raga under actual Indian gurus.
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