Charles W Bolen Faculty Recital:
Bill Koehler with Sonic Exploration Society

Bill Koehler with Sonic Exploration Society at ISU. With Guest artists Randy Reyman, director of Jazz Studies Millikin University, Trumpet; David Vayo, Professor of Composition Illinois Westlyn University; and Manpreet Bedi, Tabla.

Sierra Leone Refugee All-StarsThroughout the 1990s, the West African country of Sierra Leone was wracked with a bloody, horrifying war that forced millions – including the musicians that would eventually form Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars – to flee their homes. Sitting in a dusty refugee camp in Guinea in 2004, Reuben M. Koroma, the founder of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, could not have imagined what the near future would hold.

In just six whirlwind years, the group has gone from being unknown musicians to being the subject of an acclaimed documentary film, touring the world, appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and sharing the stage and studio with Aerosmith and other international stars. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have risen like a phoenix out of the ashes of war and enflamed the passions of fans across the globe with their uplifting songs of hope, faith and joy.

The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars appear with generous support from EIU African American Studies and the University Board.

Enjoy live music in the Speaker Box, with wine and friends, featuring Compost Q (Morgan Powell, trombone; Erik Lund, trombone; Armand Beaudoin, contrabass/cello; Dorothy Martirano, violin/bari violin; Yu Chen Wang, gu-zheng; and Kirstie Simson, dance). Cash bar provided by Corkscrew Urbana

Test Event Description

Tango Buenos Aires: Fire and Passion of Tango

Thursday, February 10, 2011, at 7:30pm | Foellinger Great Hall

Without combustive passion and the fiery heat of seduction, there can be no tango. The dancers of Tango Buenos Aires twine around romantic bandoneón tones in this melding of African and Caribbean dances, sonic influences from Italy and Spain, and scalding innovations by Parisians and Americans. Tours to Japan, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, China, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and North America have fashioned the company members into ambassadors for this most intimate, most audacious, most inherently Buenos Airean expression of love.

Patron Co-sponsors:
Sylvia and Thomas Dunning

Corporate Bronze Sponsor:
The Prairie Production Group

Global Transfer Afterglow: Trio Tarana

RAVISH MOMIN, DRUMS, PERCUSSION, AND VOICE
SYKE STEELE, VIOLIN
GREG HEFFERNAN, CELLO AND ELECTRONICS

Saturday, January 22, 2011, at about 9:30pm | Lobby

Led by percussionist/composer Ravish Momin, Trio Tarana lays down a foundation of Indian and East-Asian rhythms for sumptuously layered compositions that seamlessly blend written material with spontaneous group interaction. This creative approach to performance results in a novel musical experience you won’t want to miss!

Creative Intersections Sponsor:
The News-Gazette

Daily Schedule: 10am-12pm Rhythm Basics (Class 1), 1pm-3pm Solos/Variations (Class 2), 3:30pm-5:30pm Arrangements (Class 3). In three daily classes, Bolokada Condé will teach the full aspects of a given rhythm, from the dundun parts and accompaniments, the related history, the accompanying songs, djembe solo phrases and variations, and the complete arrangement. Additionally, Bolokada helps each student improve clarity of tones and slaps on the djembe. REGISTRATION FORMS AND FEES DUE BY FEBRUARY 15, 2010.

Every Sunday afternoon, from 5:00-8:00 p.m., in the "parlor" of the Blind Pig, 120 N. Walnut St., Champaign, IL, there is a traditional Irish Music session led by Shane Rhoades, of the local group "Emerald Rum." The Emerald Rum consists of: Shane Rhoades (banjo, mandolin), Andy McDowell (guitar, mandolin), Jerome Colburn (tin whistle, concertina), Miriam Faux (accordion), and William Wolfe (fiddle, guitar). This open session also welcomes other musicians who play or wish to learn traditional acoustic Irish music or song.