Harris Theater for Music and Dance Concludes 2011-2012 Family Series With AFRO-BEATS!, 2/25

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance concludes its 2011-2012 Family Series and celebrates Black History Month with Afro-Beats!, a festive and interactive performance perfect for the whole family onSaturday, February 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm. Join the Fulcrum Point New Music Project, dancer Idy Ciss, saxophonist Jim Gailloreto, Morikeba Kouyate on the kora, and students from the Fulcrum Point Sound Tracks program as they explore the rich rhythms, sounds and images of West Africa in this 75-minute multimedia performance. Children of all ages are invited to participate in drumming circles, traditional African dances, and soulful songs in this spirited performance which features works by Fela Kuti, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Steve Reich, and traditional music from Mandingo and African-American cultures. 

With individual tickets priced at just $10 each, the whole family can attend affordable and exceptional live music and dance performances that enrich their lives. Tickets are available at the Harris Theater box office located in Millennium Park at 205 E. Randolph Dr., by calling 312-334-7777 or by visiting www.harristheaterchicago.org.

The performance continues for 30 children and family members from the Starlight Children’s Foundation Midwest, a Harris Theater Access Tickets Program partner, who will make their way to the Harris Theater stage for a very special “Africa” workshop as part of Fulcrum Point’s SOUND TRACKS educational outreach program.  Students and their families will have the opportunity to meet four of the featured musicians, including the Kora Master Morykeba, and will receive a lesson on how to play the African Drums.  They will then join the musicians for a “jam session” where they can improvise on the drums and tell their own story through music. 

“The Harris Theater’s Access Tickets Program was developed to ensure that Chicago’s next generation of arts lovers has the ability to attend high-quality, interactive and educational programs that are perfect for the whole family, regardless of their financial means,” said Michael Tiknis, President and Managing Director of the Harris Theater. “In just three years, we have distributed more than 2,500 complimentary tickets through partnerships with 23 local health and human service organizations, including the Starlight Children’s Foundation Midwest.  It has been our privilege to partner with them to provide this wonderful opportunity for their children and families to get up close and personal attention from the artists of the Fulcrum Point New Music Project.”

Biographies

Idy Ciss
Originally from Senegal, Idy Ciss is a former member of the National Ballet. He is a full time member of the Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago offering his expertise as a consultant, choreographer and principal dancer. Idy teaches West African Dance classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Lycee Francais de Chicago, Soulistic Studio & Spa and Joel Hall Dance Center.  He was recently awarded The Joseph Holmes Award for Best Choreography in a Music/Dance Program for choreography of Dekkal Thiossane (Rebirth of Culture) by the Black Theater Alliance Awards, Inc. 

Morikeba Kouyate 
Morikeba Kouyate is known throughout West Africa for his electrifying performances and virtuosity with the traditional the Kora, an ancient 21- string instrument from the West African countries of The Gambia, Senegal, and Mali that is part of Africa’s rich spiritual music tradition. Morikeba Kouyate was born and raised into a family of Griots, or Jalis, in Bounkiling, Senegal. He began his training at the age of eight and was performing professionally by the age of fourteen. He became successful and well-known for his expert storytelling and Kora playing. As a result of his success, Morikeba was given the opportunity to have his own radio program in Dakar, Senegal. His show was aired throughout Senegal and several other African countries. He also made numerous appearances on Senegalese television. Morikeba Kouyate has played before African royalty and the Presidents of several countries, including Senegal and The Gambia.  He is a recipient of a 2002 Illinois Arts Council grant for the Master-Apprentice Program; a 2003-2005 Illinois Arts Council Artstour artist; and a recipient of a 2003 City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs Community Arts Assistance Program (CAAP) grant. Additionally, Morikeba has given workshops around the country and has taught and performed at Harvard, DePaul, Northwestern, Xavier, and many other universities. Mr. Kouyate performs year-round throughout the United States and currently resides in New Orleans. 

Jim Gailloreto

Jim Gailloreto is an accomplished jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He has a Bachelors in Music Composition from DePaul University and a Masters in Music Composition from Northwestern University. He is a recipient of the New Works: Creation & Presentation Program Grant from Chamber Music America. Through this grant he has created an intricate four movement work entitled “American Complex”. Jim has performed with the Bill Russo's Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Chicago Chamber Musicians and the new music group Fulcrum Point.  He also recorded and performed with Blue Note artist Patricia Barber on "Mythologies", Origin artist guitarist John Mc Lean's "Better Angels", with pianist Jeremy Kahn on "Most of a Nickel", vocalist Grazyna Auguscik's "Lulajze".  Jim’s string quartet arrangements can be heard on Kurt Elling's CD "Dedicated To You".  He recently performed a Chicago premier of Marc Anthony Turnage's "Scorched" with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and John Scofield.

Fulcrum Point New Music Project 
Founded in Chicago in 1998 by Stephen Burns—a world-class trumpeter and renowned teacher, performer, conductor and composer—Fulcrum Point New Music Project is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to being the local leader in diverse new music which boldly straddles the barriers between new art music and traditional music from around the world.  Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s primary mission is to ensure a future for new art music by actively commissioning innovative new works, presenting vibrant multi-media performances, and generating novel cultural collaborations and educational programs.  

In its commitment to perform new work, Fulcrum Point has premiered pieces by a number of internationally-renowned composers, including Bruce Adolphe, George Crumb, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, HK Gruber, Fela Kuti, Aña Lara, Tania León, Hannibal Lokumbe, David Stock, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Randall Woolf – many who now sit on Fulcrum Point’s advisory council, the “Sounding Board.” Including the 2009-10 seasons, Fulcrum Point will have presented more than 100 premieres – over 20 performed for the first time in the world - ensuring that Fulcrum Point concertgoers always experience a work they’ve never heard before!  Further, exemplifying the organization’s all-embracing approach, newly commissioned pieces often share a program with works as disparate as Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige; Aaron Copland’s clarinet concerto; or numbers by Jimi Hendrix or Frank Zappa.

With the goal of redefining the concert experience, Fulcrum Point performances often incorporate multi-media elements of film, dance, literature, poetry, and the visual arts.  Concerts are purposefully programmed around a specific theme (such as mythology from around the globe; different international cultural focus at each peace concert; and the 5-year exploration of the essential elements), encouraging audiences of diversity to make cross-cultural connections and, thereby, gain greater insight into the world today.

Throughout its fourteenth-year history, Fulcrum Point has worked with many Illinois art institutions and organizations including the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Humanities Festival, Snow City Arts, The Nature Conservancy, Merit School of Music, Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Institute of Chicago, St. James Episcopal Cathedral, the National Museum of Mexican Art, the Field Museum of Natural History, The Green Mill, Ravinia Festival, Millennium Park, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and even the Cook County Correctional Facility to provide educational programs in conjunction with performances.  Fulcrum Point programs serve about 8,000 audience members annually –an audience that is increasingly diverse in age, ethnic background and musical interest. 

In 2007, Fulcrum Point developed & launched an innovative educational program titled Sound Tracks – Exploring Global Cultures through World & New Music.  The program is intended for 4th and 5th grade students in Chicago Public Schools social studies classes and highlights world and new art music to show connections between music, geography, politics, and the traditional cultures of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.  There are currently 8-10 schools in the program, servicing close to 800 students in the Chicago area.  At present, Polk Bros. Foundation is the lead funder of this program.

Fulcrum Point New Music Project has called the Harris Theater for Music and Dance its Chicago performance home since 2004, when they performed the opening work at its gala opening.

Harris Theater Access Tickets Program 
The Harris Theater’s Access Tickets Program strives to ensure that ALL individuals and families are able to experience the benefits of music and dance to enrich their lives. Launched at the height of the recession in January 2009, the Access Tickets Program offers a minimum of 10% of Family Series and Harris Theater Presents performance tickets free of charge to children and families that do not have the financial means or access to attend live performances.  

Through partnerships with more than 20 arts education, local social service and health agencies, the Theater offers in-depth and diverse arts experiences providing arts-based programming to underserved constituencies, and makes it possible for individuals focusing in the performing arts to attend performances by world class artists.  The Theater has developEd Strong relationships with Access Living, Better Boys Foundation, Center on Halsted, Chicago Academy for the Arts, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Celestial Ministries, HSDC Parkinson’s Project, Music Institute of Chicago, Merit School of Music, and USO of IL, to name just a few.  To date, the program has provided complimentary tickets to over 2,500 participants from more than 20 partner organizations. The Theater’s goal for the 2011-2012 season is to reach a minimum of 1,300 children and families. 

Starlight Children’s Foundation Midwest
When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition, everyone in the family is affected. Since 1986, Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Midwest has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through education, therapeutic entertainment, and family activities. Starlight’s programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, to help them better understand and manage their illnesses, and to connect families facing similar challenges so that no one feels alone. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Starlight Midwest provides free, ongoing support to more than 300,000 children, parents and siblings in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin with an array of outpatient, hospital-based and Web offerings. To learn more visit www.starlight-midwest.org.