Music

Arooj Aftab’s liminal sound floats between classical minimalism and new age, Sufi devotional poetry and electronic trance, jazz structures and states of pure being. NPR praised her single “Lullaby” as one of the “Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+”; the New York Times called her “Island No. 2” one of the “25 Best Classical Music Tracks of 2018”; she has been awarded a 2020 Academy Award composing music for film. If that weren't enough—Barack Obama added Aftab to his 2021 Summer Playlist. Raised in a music-loving family in Lahore, Pakistan, Aftab absorbed imported pop, south Asian classical music, and urdu poetry set to sound. In Pakistan, she recorded a humble and beautiful acoustic cover of “Hallelujah” that became a viral treasure. Moving to the US to attend the Berklee College of Music, her audio universe suddenly opened up, revealing abstract jazz and modern composition that would allow her to stretch her sense of song and magnificent voice into totally immersive states of being. Now based in Brooklyn, Arooj Aftab and her quintet make her Florida debut with this concert at the Bandshell, en route to Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. This event continues the Rhythm Foundation's Axis of Love series. About Axis of Love: This concert is a part of the Rhythm Foundation’s continuing Axis of Love Series The series launched in 2017, with the goal of injecting positivity and empathy into the global conversation. It highlights artists from the Middle East and North Africa, creating a meditative space with instrumental, traditional and innovative sounds.

The Closing Night of the XV edition of the Global Cuba Fest closes with a double bill concert featuring the fierce virtuosity and creativity of Jorge Luis Pacheco with special guest star Daymé Arocena, accompanied by Ramses Rodríguez (Drums), Yorgis Goiricelaya (Bass), and Otto Santana (Percussion); and Carlos Averhoff Jr. with Latin jazz legends Harold López-Nussa, Brian Lynch, Nestor Torres, Maggie Marquez and Ahmed Barroso premiering the new album “Together” on Saturday, March 12 at 8:00 p.m. at Miami Dade County Auditorium (2901 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33135). FUNDarte and Miami Light Project present 15th edition of Global Cuba Fest, featuring Alfredo Rodríguez with Special Guest Artists in Concert, on March 5th at 8:00 p.m. at North Beach Bandshell, and a double-bill concert featuring Jorge Luis Pacheco and Carlos Averhoff Jr. with Special Guest Artists on March 12th at 8:00 p.m. at Miami Dade County Auditorium.

Join IlluminArts for To Reach the Light, a new music and dance performance event performed by Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami and the dynamic Philadelphia-based vocal ensemble Variant 6. These performances will feature the premiere of six newly commissioned pieces by composers from across the United States and Europe with new original choreography by Yanis Eric Pikieris. The stunning galleries of the Rubell Museum will be the setting for this event, where audiences will be surrounded by large-scale works of artist Sterling Ruby.

Small Island Big Song Indigenous voices sing out amidst rising seas  A globally acclaimed collective of award-winning indigenous musicians from 16 island nations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Small Island Big Song (SIBS) premieres their music in Miami for the very first time with a live multimedia performance addressing and the impacts of sea-level rise and climate change on their delicate homelands. Over a weeklong residency culminating in a live concert experience with special collaboration from locally-based Caribbean musicians, SIBS presents a contemporary and relevant musical statement for our city, connecting two regions on the frontlines of the environmental challenges we face today. RSVP link: https://www.venuepilot.co/events/37895/presale Code to use: COMP Ticket to use: Culture Shock

The next Chopin for All FREE Concert features Umi Garrett, 4th prize winner of the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition and 1st prize winner of the Julliard School's Concerto Competition. Join us to hear a special program of music by Florence Price, Clara Schumann, Scriabin, and of course, Chopin. PROGRAM F. Price: Fantasie Négre No. 4 in B minor Chopin: Mazurkas, Op. 59 Clara Schumann: Drei Romanzen, Op. 21 Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor F. Price: Fantasie Négre No. 2 in G minor Chopin: Nocturne No. 14 in F-sharp minor Chopin: Polonaise in F-sharp minor Scriabin: Fantasie in B minor Seats are available on a first come, first served basis and do fill up quickly. Plan to arrive early! NO TICKETS REQUIRED. Visit chopin.org/events to learn more.

This performance is being broadcast LIVE from the North Beach Bandshell. Featuring GRAMMY-nominated artist Madison Cunningham plus the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, Valgeir Sigurðsson, and the symphonic reimaginations of the music by Pink Floyd, the orchestra travels from the prairies of America to the tundras of Iceland and beyond. There will also be an opportunity to ask the orchestra questions during a Q&A session at the end! A digital program and concert quiz will be emailed prior to the concert. Please note that this concert and accompanying resources are intended for and available only to K-12 educators. An email affiliated with an educational institution will be required to access this performance.

The Chopin for All FREE Concerts presents 2 exceptional pianists, Zi Xu and Jiana Peng for Valentine’s weekend. Both have appeared on stages around the globe and have won numerous prizes in addition to competing in the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw last October. Bring your Valentine and join us as we share our love for Chopin with this special Chopin for All ALL CHOPIN program featuring TWO wonderful young artists. Plus, you'll have a chance to win some FUN Chopin swag at a special Valentine's Giveaway.

North Beach Social – Paperwater & Friends – BEM 2.0 Release Thurs. February 17th – 7pm North Beach Bandshell Free RSVP - The Rhythm Foundation The North Beach Social is the free Third Thursday monthly night of music at the Bandshell, featuring top South Florida-based musicians. The February 17 edition features PAPERWATER and friends. Paperwater is the Miami-based electronic music production duo, formed by Daygee Kwia and Eddy Samy. The friends met on their high school football team, and bonded over their love of experimental music and art. They released their first single in 2017 and soon began playing live shows. Some highlights include opening sets for Flying Lotus, Mura Masa, SOHN and Lido, with festival slots at Middlelands, III Points, and Electric Daisy Carnival. Paperwater have recently hosted a musical residency at the Faena Art Center, and showcased an immersive experience at the Frost Museum of Science’s planetarium. The duo’s sound, heavy on the Moog and Ableton samplers, can best be described as a mix of alternative electronic and Hip Hop, with hints of indie. This performance will include a selection of guest artists and vocalists, to celebrate the launch of their new release on Wet Paper Records. Enjoy a special Happy Hour from 6:30p – 7:30p. Please let me know of any issues.

Poet Kevin Young (Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and Poetry Editor for The New Yorker) and Dr. Tammy Kernodle (Distinguished Professor of Musicology at Miami University of Ohio) explore topics and themes of the Harlem Renaissance through music and poetry, including Young's own. The Ambassador Chorale of Florida Memorial University, a South Florida HBCU, will join the NWS to perform choral settings of works by William Dawson and Moses Hogan as well as traditional gospel songs. Soprano Michelle Bradley will perform art songs by composers, including William Grant Still, Florence Price and Margaret Bonds. The performances will be preceded by a 60-minute poetry reading by notable Miami-based poets and students, curated by P. Scott Cunningham, Founder of the O, Miami Poetry Festival.

Poet Kevin Young (Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and Poetry Editor for The New Yorker) and Dr. Tammy Kernodle (Distinguished Professor of Musicology at Miami University of Ohio) explore topics and themes of the Harlem Renaissance through music and poetry, including Young's own. The Ambassador Chorale of Florida Memorial University, a South Florida HBCU, will join the NWS to perform choral settings of works by William Dawson and Moses Hogan as well as traditional gospel songs. Soprano Michelle Bradley will perform art songs by composers, including William Grant Still, Florence Price and Margaret Bonds. The performances will be preceded by a 60-minute poetry reading by notable Miami-based poets and students, curated by P. Scott Cunningham, Founder of the O, Miami Poetry Festival.