World Music Shanghai 2009 will be held at the Oriental Art Center and the Century Park from April 30 to May 30, as an important part of series of musical events in celebration of the one year countdown for the grand opening of the World Expo 2010. “Songs for the World Expo –2009 Shanghai World Music Festival” has the main theme of “fusion” gathering 11 top world music groups from home and abroad. The key part is three concerts to be staged at the Oriental Art Centre, which combine folk music from various places of the world with modern music; Two concerts to be presented at the Century Park will showcase world music in its aboriginal charm, bringing out the authentic flavour of it. During the festival, the Shrine Synchro System, an electronic World Music group from UK, will bring us a fashion electronic music party with folk music element; Netsayi, a Zimbabwean jazz singer and songwriter living in the UK, will bring forth a soul journey with us and present the Black music’s past, present and future.

• 2 May      Shrine Synchro System   @ Century Park 15:30
• 4 May      Netsayi   @ Shanghai Oriental Art Centre 19:30

Note: The above performance schedule & venue are subject to change according to the announcement from festival organizer - Bureau of Shanghai Expo Coordination’s website.

Also, the festival organizer will join hands with the British Council to host a “Sino-British Dialogue on World Music” during the festival. British and Chinese music experts, promoters and musicians will gather together then and take this opportunity to contribute their ideas for World Music projects during the World Expo 2010, and exchange their experiences in the development and promotion of world music in their home country. This forum aims at arts professionals, relevant students & teachers and etc. In the meanwhile we will also provide limited seats to British council registered website members. For further enquiry on ‘Sino-British Dialogue on World Music’ forum or pre-reservation, please contact feifei.jiang@britishcouncil.org.cn.

World Music Celebrates Diversity

World Music Shanghai 2009 will be held at the Oriental Art Center and the Century Park fom 30 April 30 to 30 May. This is an important part of series of musical events in celebration of the one year countdown for the grand opening of the World Expo 2010.

Eleven top world music groups from home and abroad will give performances during the World Music Festival this year. Also, the festival organizer will join hands with the British Council to host a “Sino-British Dialogue on World Music”during the festival.

Last year World Music Shanghai 2009l was held with the name“Songs for the World Expo”for the first time, gaining wide acclaim from the public. This year the festival has been incorporated into the framework of “2009 Shanghai Spring International Music Festival”.

“Songs for the World Expo –2008 World Music Shanghai”was focused on bringing together music from various cultural backgrounds, of different styles and expressions within the short period of a week. This year World Music Shanghai 2009 has the main theme of “fusion”. The key part is three concerts to be staged at the Oriental Art Center, which combine folk music from various places of the world with modern music. This brings world music closer and easier to understand for contemporary urban audiences. The two concerts to be presented at the Century Park will showcase world music in its aboriginal charm, bringing out the authentic flavor of it. The aspiring musicians will call on the audiences to interact with their performances.

Of the 11 performing groups for World Music Shanghai 2009, six are from abroad. Of them, the Deep Forest is the world’s best selling world music company; Zakir Hussain is a master of tabla drum, regarded as a national treasure in his homeland India; Netsayi is a Zimbabuwean jazz singer and songwriter living in the UK; the Les Ballets Africains de Guinee brings their passionate dancing show; Samba Batucada from Brazil showcases the traditional Brazilian music with deep influence from Africa; as well as the Shrine Synchro System, an electronic World Music group from UK. The five groups from China are: Sa Dingding, winner of BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for the Asia-Pacific region, renowned avant-garde musician and writer Liu Suola, Amrita group from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Yi’s Playground from the Huayao branch of the Yi ethnic group in Yunnan Province, and  a group of Tibetans and Qiangs from Aba, Sichuan Province.

All the six foreign groups are having their debut show in Shanghai. Deep Forest and Sa Dingding will premiere at the 2009 Shanghai World Music Festival three of their collaborative songs. Also Sa will perform Deep Forest’s repertoire “Sweet Lullaby” as the leading singer.

The Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan suffered heavy loss of Qiang cultural heritage during last year’s earthquake as it was located at the very epicenter of the quake. During this visit to Shanghai, performers will not only present the very treasured Tibetan and Qiang songs and dances, but also bring along very fine handicrafts such as Qiang embroidery and Tibetan prints, introducing the achievements for protection and salvation of Qiang cultural heritage after the earthquake.

As an important part of the series events for “Songs for the Expo – 2009 Shanghai World Music Festival”, the Sino-UK World Music Dialogue will be held at the performance hall of Shanghai Oriental Art Centre at 2pm, May 5. World music experts, promoters and musicians, such as Mr. Tian Qing, director of the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center, Musician and Writer Ms. Liu Suola, Musician Zhu Zheqin, Ms Claire Whitaker, Director of Serious who is behind London International Jazz Festival and BBC Radio3 Awards for World Music, Prof. Rachel Harris from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London will be invited to contribute their ideas for World Music projects during the World Expo 2010, and exchange their experiences in the development and promotion of world music in their home country.

In order to make world music accessible to the largest group of the public, the series of world music concerts at Shanghai Oriental Art Center will have low ticket prices of 30, 50, 80 and 100 yuan. Tickets for the shows at the Century Park – admission to the park included -- will be priced at 30 yuan. You can log on the official website of 2010 World Expo Shanghai (www.expo2010china.com), or the official website of Shanghai World Music Festival (www.worldmusicshanghai.com)for details of the ticket information.