Cultural diversity and dialogue take center stage:
One night of music and art with Cartwheel Foundation

In one special evening, re-discover your heritage and experience the harmonies that can be made amidst rich diversity. Cartwheel Foundation, Inc. and the Cultural Center of the Philippines present Reconnecting with our Roots: A Cultural Exchange, a musical concert celebrating cultural dialogue that knows no barriers.  Together, Filipino indigenous tribes, American classical musicians, and young musicians from Metro Manila will create the melody of self-determination, cultural dialogue and peace.

Reconnecting with our Roots is the fruit of Cartwheel Foundation’s Music and Art Education Program aimed at enabling indigenous youth to know and appreciate their unique culture and identity and to express themselves through music and art. The program includes an inventive exchange workshop between indigenous communities and Cartwheel’s partner, Cultures in Harmony (formerly Music for the People), an American group composed of young classically-trained musicians and fosters cross-cultural dialogue through the universal language of music. 

Every year since 2007, Cultures in Harmony comes to the Philippines to conduct the exchange workshops with one tribal community, delving into various pressing local and universal issues such as identity, tradition, and modernity. The workshop also produces original compositions through the collaboration of the tribal community and Cultures in Harmony.  After the third workshop this year, this series of collaborations will culminate in Reconnecting with our Roots on June 21, 2009, 6:00 p.m. at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater). An exhibit will also be open for viewing before the show at 4:00 p.m.

For one night, be part of the continuing story of revisiting roots and bridging cultures with performances by the Tala-Andig of Miarayon, Bukidnon, the Umajam of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon, the Ichananaw of Tinglayan, Kalinga, Cultures in Harmony, St. Scholastica’s College School of Music and Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloists (PREDIS).  The concert is directed by award-winning playwright, television and stage director Mr. Floy Quintos.  The production is also made possible by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Jose Antonio Delgado Memorial Foundation, Inc.