The Florida State University College of Music will celebrate the diversity of musical traditions during its 25th annual Rainbow Concert of World Music, a springtime favorite featuring performances by each of the college’s seven talented world music ensembles at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5.
“The annual Rainbow Concert is a celebration of diversity in music and showcases our amazing musicians, many of whom also come from the four corners of the Earth to study in one of the greatest music programs in the world,” said Greg Jones, associate dean of community engagement at the College of Music.
The first Rainbow Concert was held in 1997 and featured acclaimed Balinese dancer and musician, I Nyoman Wenten. Rainbow has captivated audiences ever since with its beautiful sounds and exciting performances.
For decades, the College of Music has honored global representation through authentic performances of instruments, using terms, techniques and music unique to different areas of the world.
This year’s celebration features traditional Indonesian instruments played by internationally renowned master performer and teacher of gamelan, Fulbright Fellow and graduating FSU musicology doctoral student, I Gde Made Indra Sadguna.
Sadguna will lead the gamelan — an ensemble consisting of dozens of handcrafted instruments from the Indonesian island of Bali that includes bronze gongs, gong-chimes and metallophones, along with drums and assorted other percussion instruments — in two classic dance numbers featuring FSU students and the world-famous Balinese dancer Ni Made Ayu Desiari.
The Afro-Nyota Contemporary Pan-African Ensemble, Andean Ensemble, Jaraguá Brazilian Ensemble, Mas N Steel Caribbean Steel Band, Middle Eastern Ensemble and Old Time Ensemble also will perform.
“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to be a part of both the Andean and Middle Eastern ensembles since my sophomore year, allowing me to get in touch with my Latin American and Lebanese roots,” said Gabriela Isabel Serpa, a Rainbow 2022 performer. “Connecting with my heritage through music has shaped who I am today, and I am ecstatic to immerse myself in these two musical styles one last time before graduation.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tickets.music.fsu.edu. This event will not be livestreamed.