|
Bassel & The Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani's experience as a first generation Syrian-American using soulful melodies, funk inspired rhythms, and captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, and the war in Syria. Deeply inspired by Otis Redding, Bassel uses the stage as a vehicle to engage audiences in over 100 different cities across North America. In addition to performing in major festivals, performance halls, concert series, and clubs - the group works closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees. A substantial portion of their proceeds benefit the Karam Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization focused on building a better future for Syria.
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/basselband - Twitter: http://twitter.com/basselmusic - Instagram: http://instagram.com/basselmusic - YouTube: http://youtube.com/basselmusic |
|
Angel David Salas Marcano is a flutist, Cuatro player, and professional singer. He was born in 2005, he began his music studies at the age of five. From age seven to 16, he joined the ranks of the Youth and Children's Symphony Orchestra of Ciudad Guayana, achieving a position in the National Children's Orchestra of Venezuela. At just 11 years of age, he recorded the musical project in the studio "An Angel on the Flute." With the group "El Conjunto" he shared the stage with orchestras such as Billo Caracas Boy, Serenata Guayanesa, Cinco en Fusión. In November 2019 he was a guest artist of the Los Melodicos Orchestra in the National Tour of Venezuela of the Los Melodicos Orchestra. Due to the difficult situation facing his country, his family emigrated in December 2021. At the end of January 2022, he entered Bartlett High School, and in February of that same year, he won the school's Talent Show and now represents the school in the state before other institutions.
|
|
Beto de Freitas and Huu Nguyen are Chicago-based cultural workers / organizers / capoeira teachers. In 2019 (in Bahia, Brazil), Beto and Huu received the titles of Mestre and Contra Mestra in the capoeira angola community. Capoeira Angola is a living Afro-Brazilian cultural artifact rooted in anti-oppression and liberation.
|
|
Dance Peace is an initiative where refugee children and families in areas of social tension integrate peacefully into their communities through dance education and performance experiences. The program covers tuition scholarships, free dancewear, complimentary tickets, field trips, a paid teaching apprenticeship, and more. Current dancers are from Myanmar/Burma, Congo,/Zambia, among other places. The program is generously hosted by Music House (2925 W Devon) and supported by individual donations.
|
|
Hamid is Rohingya and a musician from Burma (now known as Myanmar). He plays the mandolin. He and his family fled to Bangladesh in 1991. Over the years, they moved from refugee camp to refugee camp—”Dum Du Mia, Kunia Palong, and Naya Para,” he says. It was a dark time. He worried about how his children would be educated and whether his country would find peace. He stopped playing music for pleasure. In 2006, camp guards arrested him for trying to leave the refugee camp to earn money. He says they tried to send him back to Myanmar and the United Nations’ refugee agency got involved. The Canadian government took in Hamid, his wife, and their seven children in 2008. They now live in Ontario. Nearly every day, he plays music and posts his video performances on YouTube. Hamid's performance is in partnership with Crossing Borders Music, sponsored by The Field Foundation.
|
|
Ssebina Richard and Nabankema Mariam are Ugandan dancers based in Chicago, IL.
|
|
Darakshan Raja (DJ Kiran) works to cultivate joy and community through playing music with a focus on playing Bhangra and Urban Desi Music. DJ Kiran picked up DJing after following in the footsteps of other Desi women DJs and as a way to complement organizing work. DJ Kiran was part of The Empowerment Album, a collaboration between Desi women DJs from the US, UK, and Canada. Outside of being a DJ, Darakshan is the founding director of Muslims For Just Futures, a power-building organization that focuses on building power among Muslim communities with a focus on investing in the leadership of Muslim women. DJ Kiran will be playing a set focused on Muslim and South Asian immigrant and refugee artists who infuse political education, storytelling, and joy through their music. You can follow her on Instagram @DRaja
|
|
Samir Al-Omar is a Syrian Refugee and now Chicago resident. He is a music teacher from Idlib, Syria, and father of 1 boy and 2 girls. His family fled to Turkey prior to 2013 for safety. He works for MusicTech, a media brand between music and technology, and studied at Truman College.
|
|
Center of Peruvian Arts: Rubén Pachas and Jessica Loyaga began to learn the dances of his ancestral Peruvian cultures at a very young age in Peru, where they later began to research dance and to perform as a professional cultural dancers on stage. In 2009 they created the Peruvian Folk Dance Center in Oak Park. In 2020 Pachas was awarded an Master of Art in Art Education by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, having conducted a study of and written his thesis on the teaching of Peruvian indigenous dances to non-indigenous people as a way of recovering ancestral values and culture. For the performance on June 24, they will collaborating with Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council - Ballet Folklorico.
|
|
Tanya Sigidin is a pianist, teacher, and vocal specialist. Her educational background includes Snezhnyansky School of Music, Donetsk Christian University, and College of DuPage. Tatyana was born in Snezhnoye, Donetsk region, Ukraine. At the age of 7, she started attending music school, which she graduated later with honors. Upon graduation from Donetsk Christian University, she joined the Light of the Gospel mission to develop musical ministry and education among the new churches of Ukraine and Russia. In 1999, Tatyana’s family migrated to the United States. Since 2001, she has been teaching the piano and vocals for children, giving beginner guitar lessons, and serving as music director in the church.
|
|
A native of Taiwan, Tzu-Tsen Wu is a plucked-string multi-instrumentalist specializing in the Chinese Zhong Ruan and Liu Qin. Her playing style is informed through her Taiwanese roots but also heavily influenced through her studies of various other world music styles and ensembles, including as well - western jazz and classical music. She performs and collaborates regularly and is currently a member of the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra (Chicago Reader’s “Best World Music Act” of 2021) and serves as the current Artistic Program Coordinator for The Chinese Fine Arts Society of Chicago. As a music educator, she presently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at Oakton Community College in addition to running the Jade Chinese Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago. She has co-authored a children’s music textbook commissioned by the United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Education.
|