By VIVIAN FUNG

Looking at a listing of events in and around New York City, one inevitably finds on any given day at least one concert or production demonstrating some kind of world-music influence. The latest interest by presenters and audiences alike in music and art that embrace different cultures is only the tip of a very deep iceberg, spanning many centuries and countries. Recent ventures such as Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project have only highlighted the significance of world music and the profound influence that it has had on the development of concert music.

Flamenco dancer Nélida Tirado was one of the artists who performed on the world music series in February. (Photo by Jane Rubinsky)

In an effort to help students better understand the role they play as artists in the global community, Juilliard's L&M department has launched a new concert series called World Music at Juilliard this semester. In conjunction with the New York-based World Music Institute, we are hosting three presentations in Paul Hall of renowned artists, representing music from diverse cultures. Even though these events are required for certain L&M classes, we extend an invitation to the entire Juilliard community to come, listen, and give a warm welcome to the wonderful artists.

Last year, we had a sneak peek at the magic that can happen at these presentations when the Balinese gamelan group Çudamani came to Juilliard in April 2005. That group, comprising about 30 musicians and dancers, wowed us with their virtuosity and musicianship, and gave us a glimpse into the artistic workings of a culture unfamiliar to most of us. I had had the personal honor and pleasure of working with the group in Bali during the summer of 2004, but nothing gave me more satisfaction than seeing many of our students and faculty sitting at the edge of their seats, mesmerized by the presence of these consummate artists.

This year's roster of artists (who will also give concerts in the city as part of the World Music Institute season) promises more wonderful music. The first presentation, which took place on February 8, featured different aspects of the flamenco music and dance of Spain. Daniel Casares—an acclaimed 25-year-old artist from Málaga in Andalusia and a rising star in flamenco guitar—performed a solo guitar set. The complexity of his compositions revealed amazing technique and vibrant rhythms, to which the audience responded with such enthusiasm that he immediately performed a sultry encore. The second half of the presentation featured Nélida Tirado, a flamenco dancer who has worked with many of Spain's major flamenco artists. She brought with her a fellow dancer, a male vocalist, and a guitarist. The group presented several dazzling dances that are common in flamenco, after which Ms. Tirado deftly explained the different dance steps, stomps, claps, and rhythms that make up the most common dances, including fandango steps and cante jondo rhythms. Many questions from the audience followed, and the appetite for more flamenco seemed to linger in the air.

The Ghazal Ensemble, including Kayhan Kalhor (left) and Shujaat Husain Khan, will combine two Eastern classical traditions on April 26. (Photo by Jack Vartoogian)

On March 29 at 9:30 a.m., our second presentation will highlight the work of Quraishi, a highly respected performer in the Afghan community who has helped to preserve and reinterpret Afghan music and rekindle interest in the rubab. Through his performances, he has established an international reputation as one of the finest Afghan musicians of his generation. Born in Kabul in 1962, he began playing music at the age of 7 and performed for Radio Afghanistan at 10. In addition to performing traditional works, he has composed new works incorporating other traditions.

Kamancheh player Kayhan Kalhor and master sitarist Shujaat Husain Khan form our final group of performers, the Ghazal Ensemble, on April 26 at 9:30 a.m. Since Ghazal's formation in 1997, both Mr. Kalhor and Mr. Khan have been touring the world. Their first CD, Lost Songs of the Silk Road, won critical acclaim as a unique recording bringing together two Eastern classical traditions that had not been performed together before. The artists' first meeting took place in a small studio in Los Angeles, the result of an introduction through a mutual friend. They played together for 20 minutes, which was all they needed to decide that their musical ideas were the same. That meeting sparked the decision to make a recording, and a date was set in New York. Shanachie Records in New York agreed to produce their first three CDs. Since then, the duo has performed in major concert halls and festivals throughout the world. The group's recordings are As the Night Falls on the Silk Road, Moon Rise on the Silk Road, and their most recent, The Rain, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2003.

Next fall, in addition to the concerts introducing students to world music, L&M faculty member Behzad Ranjbaran will be teaching a new course called Collaborative Studies in World Music. As he explains, "My passion to teach the course is both personal and pedagogic. As a composer and a performer born in Iran, I have experienced firsthand many issues ranging from performing practices in folk and art music to fusion of musical styles in developing countries. Understanding of artistic and cultural differences in these societies is key to appreciating the vitality of world music today." Students enrolled in his course will have an opportunity to interact directly with the visiting master musicians from our World Music at Juilliard concert series next year

Please join us in Paul Hall for a worldly experience!

Vivian Fung is on the L&M faculty and coordinates world music at Juilliard.