Each year, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) provides two education programs to New York City high school students that bring music of different regions of the world and supporting curriculum into music, social studies, and English classrooms. Combining education with technology, the Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange program connects hundreds of New York City students to their peers around the world not only through creative, music-making projects but also with an exchange of ideas between participants through an online community and concerts using videoconferencing technology between the countries. WMI’s Global Encounters program, now in its eighth season, integrates the study of world music into New York City high school classrooms. For both programs during the 2009–2010 school year, WMI offers classrooms a focus on the Music of India or the Music of Mexico.
For each country being studied, Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange offers the opportunity to attend two interactive, video-conferenced concerts—featuring jazz artists from the United States and musicians from the chosen country—allowing students, teachers, and musicians to connect with each other using distance-learning technology in Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall. These interactive concerts include performances by ensembles from the United States and from the chosen country as well as student performances. The concerts offer students in both countries the opportunity to meet their international peers, hear music from their own country and the chosen focus country, and pose questions to each other, further strengthening cross-cultural understanding. A related program, Global Encounters, brings world music into local high school classrooms through lessons, in-class performances, and a final spring concert at Zankel Hall. For almost a decade, Carnegie Hall has been honored to work with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State on these programs and other cultural exchange activities designed to build bridges of understanding between people and cultures through artistic collaborations. This season, the Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange program presents these programs in collaboration with the United States Embassies in New Delhi, India and Mexico City, Mexico. Details about both programs, as well as upcoming performances are below.Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange and Global Encounters are two of the school-based programs that WMI offers to students and educators throughout New York City each season. WMI provides sequential, in-depth music education curriculum for pre-K and kindergarten-age children (The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids); grades 1–2 (Musical Explorers); grades 3–5 (LinkUP!); middle school (Perelman American Roots); as well as these special high school programs (Global Encounters and Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange). For a complete list of WMI programs, please click here.
DECEMBER 8 AND APRIL 14 – CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF INDIA
For a second year in a row, Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange’s curriculum focuses on diverse forms of Indian music and culture in contrast to American jazz. On Tuesday, December 8 at9:00 a.m. ET, the Maurice Brown Effect—a jazz and R&B band—will perform in Zankel Hall for students from seven New York City schools; the Indian Ocean Group—a fusion ensemble playing a variety of instruments—will perform simultaneously at Sai International Centre Auditorium for students from six New Dehli schools, with both sides connected live via Zankel Hall’s distance learning technology. In a spring event on Wednesday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. ET, the musical ensembles travel to each other’s respective countries with the Indian Ocean Group performing in Zankel Hall and the Maurice Brown Effect at Sai International Centre Auditorium. During both concerts, students will explore elements of structure and freedom as represented in both styles of music and how these concepts relate to their own lives.
Participating New York and International Schools for Cultural Exchange: Music of India:
Baccalaureate School for Global Education—Astoria, NY (Queens)
East Side Community High School—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Gotham Arts Academy—Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn)
International School for Liberal Arts—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Queens Collegiate High School—Jamaica, NY (Queens)
Repertory High School—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Scarsdale High School—Scarsdale, NY (Westchester)
Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan’s Mehta Vidyalaya—New Delhi, India
Delhi Public School Dwarka—New Delhi, India
Salwan Public School, Mayur Vihar—New Delhi, India
Sanskriti School—New Delhi, India
Shri Ram School—Gurgaon, India
Vasant Valley School—New Delhi, India
JANUARY 26 AND MAY 6 – CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF MEXICO
During the 2009–2010 season, Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange also offers the music of Mexico as its second area of study. Students around the world will have the opportunity to experience a concert by Miguel Zenón—a New York City-based jazz saxophonist and composer—with his quartet, and a concert by the Mexico City-based Celso Duarte Ensemble. On Tuesday, January 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET, the Miguel Zenón Quartet performs in Zankel Hall for students from seven New York City schools and the Celso Duarte Ensemble performs at Teatro Julio Castillo for students at nine Mexico City schools. In a spring concert on Thursday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. ET, the ensembles travel to each other’s countries with the Celso Duarte Ensemble performing for the New York City audience in Zankel Hall and the Miguel Zenón Quartet performing for the Mexico City audience at Teatro Julio Castillo. At the concerts, students will study the relationship between freedom and structure in Mexican music and jazz.
Participating New York and International Schools for Cultural Exchange: Music of Mexico:
International School for Liberal Arts—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Martin Van Buren—Queens Village, NY (Queens)
Queens Collegiate High School—Jamaica, NY (Queens)
Scarsdale High School—Scarsdale, NY (Westchester)
Susan S. McKinney—Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn)
Urban Assembly Media High School—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Centro de Educación Artística (CEDART), Diego Rivera—Mexico City, Mexico
Centro Universitario México—Mexico City, Mexico
Escuela Nacional de Danza Clásica y Contemporánea—Mexico City, Mexico
Instituto de Educación Media Superior del Gobierno del Distrito Federal: Preparatorias Álvaro Obregón, Iztapalapa y Xochimilco—Mexico City, Mexico
Universidad La Salle: Escuela Preparatoria—Mexico City, Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México:
Escuela Nacional Preparatoria Plantel 6, Antonio Caso—Mexico City, Mexico
Universidad Panamericana: Preparatoria y Colegio Cedros—Mexico City, Mexico
GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS: MUSIC OF INDIA – DECEMBER 9
GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS: MUSIC OF MEXICO – MAY 5
Integrating the study of world music into social studies, English, and music classrooms, Carnegie Hall’s Global Encounters program explores the music and culture of selected countries through sequential lessons, classroom visits by world music performers, professional development for teachers, and a final interactive concert in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. During this 2009–2010 season, classes from 17 New York City schools will study the music of India and classes from 16 New York City schools will study the music of Mexico. Final concerts for Global Encounters: Music of India on Wednesday, December 9 feature tabla player Sameer Gupta, sitar player Neel Murgai, violinist Arun Ramamurthy, and vocalist Falu. Final concerts for Global Encounters: Music of Mexico feature the Celso Duarte Ensemble. Past focus regions of the program have included the Silk Road, South Africa, Brazil, India, the Caribbean, and Mali.
Global Encounters – Participating New York Schools Studying the Music of India:
Brentwood Freshman Center—Brentwood, NY (Suffolk)
City College Academy of the Arts—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Coalition School for Social Change—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Discovery High School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Green Dot Charter School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
High School for Law and Public Service—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Hyde Leadership Charter School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
International School for Liberal Arts—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Kingsbridge International High School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
The Lorge School—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Martin Van Buren—Queens Village, NY (Queens)
Mustard Seed—Hoboken, NJ (Hudson)
Newburgh Free Academy—Newburgh, NY (Orange)
Newtown High School—Elmhurst, NY (Queens)
Pan American International High School at Monroe—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
PS 30—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Scholars Academy – PS 323Q—Rockaway Park, NY (Queens)
Global Encounters – Participating New York Schools Studying the Music of Mexico:
City College Academy of the Arts—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Coalition School for Social Change—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Green Dot Charter School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
HSTAT—Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn)
Kingsbridge International High School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Martin Van Buren—Queens Village, NY (Queens)
Mustard Seed—Hoboken, NJ (Hudson)
Newtown High School—Elmhurst, NY (Queens)
Pan American International High School at Monroe—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Phoenix Academy—Shrub Oak, NY (Westchester)
PS 30—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Pulse High School—Bronx, NY (Bronx)
Repertory High School—New York, NY (Manhattan)
Scarsdale High School—Scarsdale, NY (Westchester)
Scholars Academy – PS 323Q—Rockaway Park, NY (Queens)
Somers High School—Somers, NY (Westchester)
Artist Information for Cultural Exchange: Music of India
Innovation is the key to jazz trumpeter Maurice “Mobetta” Brown’s soulful melodies, which can be heard on both R&B legend Aretha Franklin’s and hip-hop star Talib Kweli’s recordings. Maurice’s 2004 debut album, Hip to Bop, made top ten charts across the U.S. Raised in south Chicago, Maurice was awarded a full music scholarship to Northern Illinois University upon graduating from Hillcrest High School. After winning first place in the esteemed National Miles Davis Trumpet Competition, Maurice found new flavor in the heart of Louisiana, where he continued his studies at Southern University—and captivated audiences weekly, headlining at New Orleans’ premiere jazz club, Snug Harbor. Maurice currently resides in New York where he is finishing his sophomore album, Hip to Bop II.
Indian Ocean Group, from Delhi, India, has performed in more than 450 concerts across five continents, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a recent tour of Australia, and sold-out concerts in New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and India. Originally, four musicians combined to form this group: Rahul Ram, bass guitarist, saxophonist, and vocalist; Susmit Sen, guitarist and vocalist; Amit Kilam, percussionist, flutist, and vocalist; and Asheem Chakravarty, percussionist and vocalist. Mr. Chakravarty, one of the founding members of Indian Ocean Group, passed away this fall and will be replaced by Gayan Singh on percussion and Himanshu Joshi on vocals for these concerts. The band’s lyrics celebrate individual journeys to transform the self, as well as collective struggles to change the world. Over the last 15 years, Indian Ocean Group has attracted a large following for its performances of original music ranging from rocking anthems to spiritual ballads.
Artist Information for Cultural Exchange: Music of Mexico; and Global Encounters: Music of Mexico
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miguel Zenón tours extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America with his quartet, while also making teaching a priority in his career. Mr. Zenón was first exposed to jazz in high school, but did not receive formal jazz training until his undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music. After graduating from Berklee, he received a scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with a master’s degree in saxophone performance. In 2009, he joined the jazz faculty at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Mr. Zenón has also received a prestigious MacArthur grant in 2008.
Mexico City-based harpist Celso Duarte performs on Paraguayan harp, Celtic harp, and Mexican Jarocho harp. In 2007, Mr. Duarte and his ensemble released the album From South to South, marking the debut album of his ensemble. Duarte has performed alongside such artists as Lila Downs, Wynton Marsalis, and Mercedes Sosa. His music embraces the vibrant musical landscapes of Mexico and South America and contributes to that region’s continuing musical evolution. His ensemble is made up of classically trained musicians, and they interpret songs from the Jaranero movement, South American folk music, and fuse these songs together with traditions of jazz and world music.
Artist Information for Global Encounters: Music of India
Sameer Gupta, an artist specializing in improvisational styles of jazz, world, and fusion music, has lived and performed around the world. He currently studies with tabla master Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, having spent several years under the guidance of legendary tabla master Zakir Hussain. Arun Ramamurthy, violinist, performs with Mr. Gupta in a Carnatic-style of South Indian violin, which allows him to improvise up and down the scale without strict rules of melodic contours. Neel Murgai, sitar player, performs with this trio and plays his sitar in the Hindustani-style of North Indian sitar, which allows him to improvise within specific phraseology, and joining the tabla in rhythmic play. On several pieces, Falu, a vocalist specializing in a hybrid music style sometimes referred to as “Indie Hindi!”, will join the trio.
The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall
The Weill Music Institute creates broad-reaching music education and community programs that play a central role in Carnegie Hall’s commitment to making great music accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Woven into the fabric of the Carnegie Hall concert season, these programs occur at Carnegie Hall as well as in schools and throughout neighborhoods, providing musical opportunities for everyone, from preschoolers to adults, new listeners to emerging professionals. With access to the world’s greatest artists and latest technologies, The Weill Music Institute is uniquely positioned to inspire the next generation of music lovers, to nurture tomorrow’s musical talent, and to shape the evolution of musical learning itself. The Weill Music Institute’s school and community programs annually serve over 115,000 children, students, teachers, parents, young music professionals, and adults in the New York metropolitan area and across the US, as well as 65,000 people around the world through its online and distance learning initiatives.
For more information, please visit: carnegiehall.org/exploreandlearn.
Program Information
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF INDIA
Zankel Hall
Maurice Brown Effect
Maurice Brown, Trumpet
Derek Douget, Alto Saxophone
Solomon Dorsey, Bass
Chris Rob, Piano
Joe Blaxx, Drums
Indian Ocean Group
Susmit Sen, Guitar and Vocals
Sudhir Rekhari, Vocals
Gayan Singh, Tabla
Rahul Ram, Bass Guitar and Vocals
Amit Kilam, Drums, Gabgubi, Recorder and Percussion
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS: MUSIC OF INDIA
Sameer Gupta, Tabla
Neel Murgai, Sitar
Arun Ramamurthy, Violin
Falu, Vocals
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF MEXICO
Zankel Hall
Miguel Zenón Quartet
Miguel Zenón, Alto Saxophone
Luis Perdomo, Piano
Hans Glawischnig, Bass
Henry Cole, Drums
Celso Duarte Ensemble
Celso Duarte, Harp, Fiddle, Guitarra de son, Jarana and Vocals
Violeta Ortega, Voice, Jarana and Zapateado
Alfredo Herrera "Godo", Voice, Jarana and Quijada (donkey jaw)
Cándido Hernández, Batá drums, Djembé and Congas
Luis Gómez, Quijada, Congas, Cajon and Toys
Arturo Baez, Acoustic Bass and Electric Bass
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF INDIA
Zankel Hall
Indian Ocean Group
Rahul Ram, Bass Guitar, Saxophone and Vocals
Susmit Sen, Guitar and Vocals
Himanshu Joshi, Vocals
Gayan Singh, Tabla
Amit Kilam, Drums, Percussion, Flute, Guitar, Gabgubi, Clarinet and Vocals
Maurice Brown Effect
Maurice Brown, Trumpet
Derek Douget, Alto Saxophone
Solomon Dorsey, Bass
Chris Rob, Piano
Joe Blaxx, Drums
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS: MUSIC OF MEXICO
Zankel Hall
Celso Duarte Ensemble
Celso Duarte, Harp, Fiddle, Guitarra de son, Jarana and Vocals
Violeta Ortega, Voice, Jarana and Zapateado
Alfredo Herrera "Godo", Voice, Jarana and Quijada (donkey jaw)
Cándido Hernández, Batá drums, Djembé and Congas
Luis Gómez, Quijada, Congas, Cajon and Toys
Arturo Baez, Acoustic Bass and Electric Bass
___________________________________________
Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE: MUSIC OF MEXICO
Zankel Hall
Celso Duarte Ensemble
Celso Duarte, Harp, Fiddle, Guitarra de son, Jarana and Vocals
Violeta Ortega, Voice, Jarana and Zapateado
Alfredo Herrera "Godo", Voice, Jarana and Quijada (donkey jaw)
Cándido Hernández, Batá drums, Djembé and Congas
Luis Gómez, Quijada, Congas, Cajon and Toys
Arturo Baez, Acoustic Bass and Electric Bass
Miguel Zenón Quartet
Miguel Zenón, Alto Saxophone
Luis Perdomo, Piano
Hans Glawischnig, Bass
Henry Cole, Drums
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Sony Corporation is the proud lead sponsor of Carnegie Hall's Online Exchange Communities.
Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange is sponsored by MetLife Foundation.
Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange is supported in part by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State.
Delivery of the Weill Music Institute's programs to national audiences is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education and by an endowment grant from the Citi Foundation.
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No general admission tickets available. These events are for students enrolled in the Carnegie Hall Cultural Exchange or Global Encounters programs. Journalists interested in attending the performance may contact Maggie Ciadella at 212-903-9753 or mciadella@carnegiehall.org.
Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.
Images from top of release: Student, Hosts, and Artists at Cultural Exchange: Music of India concert on February 12, 2009. (Photo by Stefan Cohen); Students at the Cultural Exchange: Music of India concert on February 12, 2009. (Photo by Stefan Cohen); Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath, and Violin V. Selvaganesh performing at Cultural Exchange: Music of India concert on May 13, 2009. (Photo by Chris Lee)