BALADINO Performs in Forest City, Iowa - October 2015
Forest City is the only city in Iowa to be invited to participate in the 2015-17 cycle of Arts Midwest World Fest. Through this two year partnership, Arts Midwest will bring four international music ensembles to the community. Each ensemble will spend a week in Forest City, sharing unique culture and music through workshops in schools, in community locations, and through a public concert celebration at the end of the week. Baladino is the first of four ensembles to visit Forest City.
BALADINO members: Yonnie Dror - multi wind instrumentalist, Thomas Moked - string player and producer, Yael Bdash - singer, Daniel Sapir - double bass artist, Yshai Aferman - world percussionist and educator.
Yshai and Yonnie of Baladino conducted a Master Class at Waldorf College which offered one-on-one time as they worked with over 60 students.
Baladino engaged the audiences, sharing both their Middle Eastern music and culture with every workshop, master class and performance.
Baladino performs for 700 Forest City High School/ Middle School students and received a standing ovation for their amazing performance. Learning about the ensembles' folksy musical style and authentic instruments left a positive cultural and artistic impression on the youth.
Over 400 Forest City Elementary students from 2nd through 5th grade were enthralled by the performance and musical instruments of Baladino.
Forest City Middle School 7th graders perform for Baladino during a Middle School Fall Concert. Baladino also played a few songs, offering a preview to the upcoming Community Concert.
Baladino's ability to reach out to small groups of students had enormous impact. Students commented that they were inspired to improve and dedicate more time to practice their instruments.
A band workshop with 5th and 6th graders at North Iowa Schools, in the small nearby rural community of Buffalo Center, offered an opportunity to learn from professional musicians and improve their skills.
After a well-received workshop for 75 seniors and staff at Forest Plaza Assisted Living Center, Baladino poses for a photo with community host Audrey Olmstead and Matt Harris from the Iowa Arts Council.
Thank you to Arts Midwest World Fest, the Iowa Arts Council, 3M, and the National Endowment for the Arts for providing our small, rural community with this exposure to the world-class ensemble, Baladino. This musical residency opened the eyes of so many in our community to the joy of live world music and shared cultural experiences...and the positive impact it can have on our lives.
Coordination for the week-long residency was a collaboration of the Forest City Community Schools, Waldorf College, Grow Forest City, and community host Audrey Olmstead.
A program of Arts Midwest, the 2015–2017 Arts Midwest World Fest cycle is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, 3M Foundation, and Anime Twin Cities. Additional support is provided the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest for Baladino. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Arts Midwest is also generously supported by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, and Wisconsin Arts Board.