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RHYTHMS OF AFRICA - Music Around the World
The Miramar Cultural Center’s celebration of Black History Month culminates on Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m., with a free performance of “Rhythms of Africa, Music Around the World” by Willie Stewart, of the internationally acclaimed band Third World.
Electrifying and interactive, Rhythms of Africa features guest musicians and 60 local Miramar children ages 8 -13, including a seven-year-old master drummer. Using percussion instruments and techniques, the show matches African rhythms to the Diaspora, tracing the voyage of sounds from Nigeria and the Ivory Coast to Trinidad, Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, and New Orleans. It’s a journey of African rhythms around the world, heard in contemporary musical influences such as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley and Santana, whose music is celebrated at the show’s conclusion.
Vouchers for tickets to the free performance are available online at MiramarCulturalCenter.org or at the Cultural Center’s Box office window. Vouchers must be redeemed at the box office starting two hours before show time on Saturday, February 27th. For additional information, please visit the website or call (954) 602-4500.
“Join the Celebration” Here’s how you can become part of the show without stepping on stage. We created sponsorship opportunities to link you or your company to this groundbreaking event that will provide lasting benefits, including promotional visibility!
In-kind contributions and/or donations in exchange for marketing opportunities are being accepted for:
Between December and February, Miramar Cultural Center / ArtsPark will conduct a series of 16 percussion classes for up to 60 after-school children. The program, taught by internationally renowned percussionist and Miramar resident Willie Stewart, is made by possible in part by a grant through the Broward County Cultural Division. We’re both proud of and honored by his leadership role in the project.
Participating children will be treated to a specialized, focused version of Willie Stewart’s time-tested and successful workshop, “Introduction to Percussion,” focusing on rhythms imported from Africa through the Caribbean on their way to the international stage. Students, most of whom of African, Latin, and/or Caribbean ethnicity, will also learn about these regions’ history and culture, including music’s influence on and involvement in religion, ritual, everyday life, and both formal and informal education. At the conclusion of the classroom series, students will perform with professional musicians in the Miramar Cultural Center’s state-of-the-art 800-seat theater.
The program implements Willie’s professional mission: “to use music as an art form to provide educational, team building, and personalized stress reduction and workshops that improve the well-being of the body and the mind.”
We anticipate considerable promotion and media exposure for the program, as it is the first of its kind conducted by the new Miramar Cultural Center / ArtsPark, and intended to serve as a precedent for formal arts-related educational activities as we go forward with our cultural agenda. To date, the Center has garnered encouragement and praise for its mission and plans from literally all parties, including residents, the business community and Chambers of Commerce, elected officials, school administrators, and of course, the arts community.
We respectfully request that you consider sponsorship support for Willie Stewart and the program described here. At $11,700, our grant from the Broward Cultural Division covers approximately half the cost of the full project; primarily the 16 educational children’s workshops. The performance component opens underwriting opportunities for private sources whose endorsement both enhances the entire project, and favorably positions participating sponsors as advocates of children’s cultural education. In return we can identify you as a sponsor on all media releases and collateral and promotional material, and display your banner during the performance itself. We’re also open to additional promotional ideas that would further link you with this project.
About Willie Stewart and Third World Band
Third World produced 13 albums of which 5 received Grammy nominations. Willie has performed with such renowned artists as Stevie Wonder, Eddy Grant, Carlos Santana and Bob Marley. Over the years other notable performances included sharing the same stage bill with Quincy Jones, Sting, Michael Jackson, Bryan Adams and U2.
