ST. PAUL, MINN. (ELCA) -- A Multicultural Music Festival with the theme "One Voice, Many Cultures," focused on ways to incorporate music from different cultures into congregational worship. The festival, hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was June 27-30 at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn.
The festival was organized by the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries (CMM). It was the first event of its kind on a national level, said Rosemary Dyson, CMM associate executive director. About 230 people attended the festival, said Olinda Fink, CMM festival registrar.
The festival, geared for children and for adults, offered a series of workshops and concerts that reflected diversity in culture and music. The workshops included a hands-on blues history session hosted by singer Katherine Davis, where participants received a harmonica and performed on stage with Davis during her concert. Another workshop was an African drumming session, where participants learned how to play the drum and recognize its significance in African culture.
Two culture-specific worship services were held each day, including African, Alaska Native, American Indian, Arab, Asian and Latino services. Parts of the services were held in the culture's native languages, and music was performed in the traditional cultural style. During the Latino service, the Rev. J.A. "Tony" Machado, Iglesia Luterana El Milagro, Minneapolis, led the group with music from a Spanish hymnal accompanied by maracas and guitars.
"The diversity of the music really appealed to me," said participant Barton Beglo, Ottawa, Ontario. "We talk about accepting others, but, when you can actually be here and hear others' music, it's great."
The festival's nightly concerts drew the largest crowds. A Nube- Andean music group, led by multimedia artists Nicolas Carter and Renato Lombardi, performed a mix of Latin American art, theater and music. Davis performed a blues and jazz concert. A salsa band played while participants danced. The Kompani Jazz Gospel Group of Atlanta, Ga., performed contemporary Christian music.
"It's a gorgeous event. The concerts were my favorite," said participant Erlene Wiltshire, Brooklyn, New York. "You can get into it no matter what age you are. It's great to come here and worship."
"Music is one of the most effective ways to bring all ethnic communities together," said Dyson.
The Multicultural Music Festival was made possible through a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, Wis. It is a fraternal benefit society that provides insurance coverage, financial products and services, and fraternal benefits to its members. -- -- -- A video news release on the Multicultural Music Festival is available at http://www.elca.org/co/news/video.index.html on the Web.
*Amy Wineinger is a junior at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. This
summer she is an intern with ELCA News and Media Production.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
