All Around This World to Debut Global Orchestra, 6/21

For several years, All Around This World has offered private classes and school performances. As the summer begins, the organization is now bringing the world to children and their families through music. On Saturday, June 21, AATW debuts its new Global Orchestra, previews its current CD and some of its upcoming releases, and offers a fun day as it celebrates a holiday they are creating - International Make Your Own Instrument Day. From 10 a.m.-1p.m. at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street, families and children can begin their world tour. Tickets cost $10 and are available at worldcafelive.com. More information about All Around This World can be found at www.allaroundthisworld.com.

This event marks the debut of the All Around This World Global Orchestra. This ninety piece electric band will perform songs from current and upcoming CDs that cover Latin America, Africa, South and Central Asia and the Caribbean. Along with the music, children at the event will be able to make their own instrument with the supplies available to them.

Jay Sand, guitarist and children's music teacher, dad of three girls (4-9 years old), and world traveler (much more so before he became the dad of three girls), developed the All Around This World curriculum with his children as a way to introduce them to the countries he's already visited and the many more he plans to visit with them. Jay held his first All Around This World classes in 2009 in his West Philadelphia living room. Since then, AATW classes have caught on and spread to multiple cities around the U.S.

"I've been teaching little kids about the world in my classes for years but opening this experience to all Philadelphia families on June 21st will be an extraordinary leap forward," said Sand. "Just like AATW classes, the event is going to interactive, educational and fun!"

All Around This World is a unique, interactive music program for children 0-9 years old that encourages kids and their families to explore the world by enjoying great global melodies, rhythms and movement. In All Around This World classes, kids and their parents/caregivers/educators sing, dance and explore oh so many countries and cultures, "traveling" around the globe region by region, exploring a new part of the world every three months, joining in the fun for any part of All Around This World's three year 'round the world tour. All Around This World never talks down to kids or their grownups! All Around This World shares global music with kids and their families in a way that simultaneously engages all, from the tiniest of tiny infants to the wisest and most well-traveled adults. Jay developed All Around This World's music based on years of meticulous musical and cultural research-conducted with the support of global musicians, educators and ethnomusicologists. The approximately 250 songs that are part of the three year AATW curriculum originate from the global cultures that the music class explores. These are not "kids songs," but music for adults that Jay has translated and rearranged, taking tremendous care to maintain each song's musical essence and cultural narrative while still creating music that kids and their grownups can enjoy from the very first note.