Spurlock Museum WorldFest

• Event Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021–Wednesday, June 30, 2021
• Time: 8:00 am (CDT)
• Location: Online
• Cost: Free

• Performance
• Online tag

The Spurlock Museum’s 15th annual WorldFest, a celebration of the variety of performance arts practiced around the world, will be held virtually with the release of three performance videos on the Museum’s Facebook page (external link). The videos will be released at 8 AM on June 16, 23, and 30.

June 16: Bourema Ouedraogo and Jason Finkelman

The June 16 video features local performers Bourema “Ibrahim” Ouedraogo and Jason Finkelman. Ibrahim currently works at Urbana Public Television and comes from a family of musicians in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The pieces performed in the video are original songs composed by Ibrahim. Jason is the Director of Global Arts Performance Initiatives at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and has worked with the Spurlock Museum for many years to engage the musicians, dancers, and storytellers who have been welcomed to the WorldFest stage. In addition to accompanying Ibrahim, Jason explains and demonstrates the many instruments he plays with the songs.

June 23: Qwanqwa

On June 23, the Museum will post a video by the group Qwanqwa, in which the members perform songs and dances from Ethiopia. The style of singing in this video is Azmari. Azmaris are an ethnic subgroup of the northern Ethiopian Amhara people, known to be the keepers of musical traditions, similar to Griots or Troubadours. The word Qwanqwa means "language" in Amharic, and by choosing this name the group is bringing to life the concept of music as a universal language.

June 30: Cody Jensen

The video posted on June 30 highlights music from around the world performed by Cody Jensen. Cody is a musician based in Urbana, Illinois. He has found a niche in the Midwest as a touring artist and dance accompanist. In this video, he puts his own spin on traditional and early 20th century tunes on instruments from around the world. Instruments featured in this video include the banjo, balafon, xylophone, rhythm bones, hanging jug, steel pan, and harpejji.

Each of the videos will remain on the Spurlock Museum’s Facebook page (external link), as well as its YouTube channel (external link) for viewing at later date.