Crossing Borders Music

Composers with Disabilities and Momenta Dance!
2022-06-12 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube livestream
Join us to revel in the beautiful music of composers with disabilities! This unique program features the world premiere performance of Rylan Gleave’s piano quintet “Boyh (bringer of your hair)” alongside world premiere choreography by Julia Cox, danced by Robby Williams and Connor Cornelius of Momenta Dance Company! In addition to these commissioned works, the program includes music selected from an international call for submissions, including music by composers from Brazil, South Africa, the UK, the US, and Haiti:
“Transcendences” by Siobhan Dyson
“Wi li jou” by Julio Lubin
“Kwazekwamnandi” by Yonela Mnana
“Art Miniatures” by Ryne Siesky
“Nocturne for Cello and Piano” by Zygmund de Somogyi
“In F” by Andersen Viana
This event will be broadcast live on the Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube channels.
Check out these awesome participating artists’ websites:
siobhandyson.com
www.facebook.com/julio.lubin
Yonela Mnana: youtube.com/channel/UCKqH2kcQ69TUNI0J4EeUdTw
momentadances.org
rynejsmusic.com
Zygmund de Somogyi: zdscomposer.co.uk
musicalics.com/en/composer/Andersen-Viana
Momenta Dance Company cultivates and presents repertory and contemporary dance works that strive to educate, innovate and amplify the artistry of students and professionals, inclusive of artists with disabilities.
Featuring Marianne Parker; piano; Rasa Mahmoudian and Jennifer Leckie, violins; Seth Van Embden, viola; and Tom Clowes, cello; with special thanks to Thavary Krouch for her technical support.
This program is made possible in part by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation and City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
We recognize that some artists in this program prefer identity-first language (“disabled artists”), while others prefer person-first language (“artists with disabilities”).
Image Description: Dancer Robby Williams on a dark stage in front of a black curtain leans backwards with his head turned left while reaching his arm to the back of the left wheel of the manual wheelchair he’s using. Photo credit Momenta Dance.

Celebrating Juneteenth! at Buttercup Park
2022-06-21 11:30 - 12:45 | Buttercup Park, 4901 N Sheridan, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
Be one of the first people to ever hear the healing breaths and sounds of “this is a notice” by the incredible artist The Honourable Elizabeth A Baker, commissioned by Crossing Borders Music in celebration of Juneteenth! Plus, Crossing Borders Music will be joined by young artist and special guest cellist Kailie Holliday! And, we’ve chosen lots of our old favorite tunes, just for you! See you in Uptown!
This Night Out in the Parks/Make Music Chicago program is FREE and open to EVERYONE!
This program is a part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks.
Celebrating 10 years, Night Out in the Parks activates parks across the city with robust cultural events – bringing neighbors together to laugh, dance, sing, and engage.
This program made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, and by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image description: Rasa Mahmoudian, Phyllis Calderon, Tom Clowes, and Seth Van Embden in concert black performing as a string quartet on stage at the Ravinia Festival at a recent performance for middle school students
Photo credit Ravinia Festival

POSTPONED: Celebrating Juneteenth! at Garfield Park
2022-07-14 11:45 - 13:00 | Garfield Park Gold Dome Fieldhouse, 100 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, 60624, United States
This event has been postponed because of COVID and will be re-scheduled.
“Celebrating Juneteenth!” uses the music of the Crossing Borders Music string quartet to tell stories of the ongoing journey from slavery to justice. To celebrate Juneteenth, a historic date that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people, Crossing Borders Music has commissioned new music of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Jordyn Davis, and Jessica T. Carter. Be one of the first to hear their awesome music!
Plus, Crossing Borders Music will be joined by young artist and special guest cellist Kailie Holliday!
The event will take place outside the Garfield Park Gold Dome Fieldhouse. Also outside the dome, 30 minutes before the performance, Crossing Borders Music will give a masterclass to the young music camp students of Chicago West Community Music Center!
This Night Out in the Parks program is FREE and open to EVERYONE!
This program is a part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks.
Celebrating 10 years, Night Out in the Parks activates parks across the city with robust cultural events – bringing neighbors together to laugh, dance, sing, and engage.
This program made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Richard H Driehaus Foundation, and by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image description: Rasa Mahmoudian, Phyllis Calderon, Tom Clowes, and Seth Van Embden in concert black performing as a string quartet on stage at the Ravinia Festival at a recent performance for middle school students
Photo credit Ravinia Festival

From Slavery to Justice: the Ongoing Journey
2022-07-17 15:00 - 16:15 | Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St, Skokie, IL, 60077, United States
“From Slavery to Justice: the Ongoing Journey” uses music to tell stories of African-American liberation. To celebrate Juneteenth, a historic date that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people, Crossing Borders Music commissioned new music of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Jordyn Davis, and Jessica T. Carter. Be one of the first people to hear their amazing works! The program will also include “Lead Me Home” by Brittany J. Green based on the hymn “Precious Lord” famously sung by Mahalia Jackson, and the 2021 revised version of String Quartet No. 1 by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa. The program will be the subject of a short documentary by Chicago filmmaker Rubye Lane, and is the brainchild of Crossing Borders Music board member and Strategic Planning Committee Chair Marjorie Adam Clark, who is also co-chair of the Forest Park Juneteenth Committee and Illinois Juneteenth Committee. Juneteenth, Marjorie says, is “a holiday of racial healing.”
View the event on the library website at http://skokielibrary.info/…/the-ongoing-journey-from…
This program is presented by the Skokie Public Library. The program is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This program is made possible in part by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation.
Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image Description: Composer Jordyn Davis in a grey sweater and long white skirt seated in front of a piano, a black and white image of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker with her hand on an analog synthesizer by MOOG, and Jessica T. Carter posing with a hand on her hip in a green gown and pearl necklace in what appears to be a cathedral

Cambodian Museum Mahori Ensemble at Destination Asia Festival
2022-08-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Morton Arboretum, 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL, 60532
The National Cambodian Heritage Museum’s mahori ensemble will perform Cambodian classics at the Destination Asia Festival at the Morton Arboretum. At their invitation, our Crossing Borders Music cellist Tom Clowes will play in the ensemble. The mahori musicians will also be performing Saturday, August 6 in the afternoon.
Check out mortonarb.org/explore/activities/events/destination-asia-festival for complete festival information.
The event is free with admission to the Morton Arboretum. Admission tickets and information are available at buy.acmeticketing.com/events/480/list
Pictured: National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Crossing borders Music musicians performing at the Morton Arboretum in 2021

Thirsty Ears Festival
2022-08-13 19:00 - 19:50 | Access Contemporary Music, 1758 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, 60640, United States
Crossing Borders Music is proud to participate in Access Contemporary Music’s seventh annual Thirsty Ears Festival: Chicago’s only classical music street festival!
For two days Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood will be closed to feature seventeen stellar ensembles and soloists. Crossing Borders Music’s very own Jennifer Leckie and Marianne Parker will share awesome and diverse music for violin and piano by composers from the Crossing Borders Music repertoire!
Access Contemporary Music will make sure there is delicious beer, vendor booths, kid-friendly activities and food trucks on both days.
Suggested Donation $10
Parking is limited to street parking.
Full event lineup is available at https://acmusic.org/events/thirsty-ears-festival/
Pictured: In front of a white background, Jennifer Leckie, a White woman with blonde hair is smiling in a close-up photo

Night Out in the Parks: "From Slavery to Justice" at Garfield Park
2022-10-08 13:00 - 14:15 | Garfield Park Gold Dome Fieldhouse, 100 N Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, 60624, United States
Enjoy beautiful music in the park, and a masterclass with local young musicians! This event, “From Slavery to Justice: the Ongoing Journey” has been re-scheduled because of COVID to Saturday, Oct. 8 at 1pm.
To celebrate Juneteenth, a historic date that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people, Crossing Borders Music has commissioned new music of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Jordyn Davis, and Jessica T. Carter. Be one of the first to hear their awesome music!
The event will take place outside the Garfield Park Gold Dome Fieldhouse.
This Night Out in the Parks program is FREE and open to EVERYONE!
This program is a part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks.
Celebrating 10 years, Night Out in the Parks activates parks across the city with robust cultural events – bringing neighbors together to laugh, dance, sing, and engage.
This program made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image description: Sitting on folding chairs outside in the park, Kailie Holliday and Seth Van Embden play cello and viola

Cambodian Museum Mahori Ensemble at Global Garden Refugee Training Farm
2022-10-08 17:30 - 18:30 | Global Garden Refugee Training Farm, 4827 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625
The National Cambodian Heritage Museum’s mahori ensemble will perform Cambodian classics at the Global Garden Refugee Training Farm. At their invitation, our Crossing Borders Music violinist Rasa Mahmoudian will play in the ensemble.
Pictured: the Cambodian Museum mahori ensemble performs with Crossing Borders Music string players at the 2021 Morton Arboretum Destination Asia festival
The event is free and open to the public.
Crossing Borders Music’s participation is supported in part by the MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the Paul M Angell Family Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges the support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community
2022-10-09 12:00 - 17:00 | Dawes Park, Dawes Park east of Sheridan Rd between Lake Street and Greenwood St (around1413 Sheridan Rd), Evanston, IL, 60201
Rain can’t keep us away! Join the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) and Crossing Borders Music for the re-scheduled one-day outdoor exhibition “We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community.” “We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community” is a program created in 2020 by the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) who invited Crossing Borders Music’s participation in this ongoing, uplifting project.
This community exhibition highlights the excellence and contributions of Black America in the local community and beyond. Featuring scholar Dr. Cranston Knight, scholar Dr. Edward Davis, entrepreneur Brian Osborne, artist Lowell Thompson and more with interactive exhibits on Black internationalism, Black history, Black artists, food, and more!
Plus, LIVE music from Crossing Borders Music musicians throughout the afternoon
Free and open to the public! Stroll through the exhibition with us!
Taking place at Dawes Park east of Sheridan Rd between Lake Street and Greenwood St (around 1413 Sheridan Rd), Evanston, IL
This project is partially supported by a grant from the Evanston Arts Council, an agency supported by the City of Evanston, Illinois Arts Council Agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is partially supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the Paul M Angell Family Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges the support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Pictured: Artist Lowell Thompson at a previous “We Walk” in front of a poster of his Colored Wheel sculpture, credit Haitian American Museum of Chicago

Streamable Learning: What Makes Music Special? Part 1: Windows and Mirrors
2022-10-11 15:30 - 16:15 | Streamable Learning
This educational livestream is for grades 6-12 students and teachers and open to all Chicago Public Schools teachers and students plus other Streamable Learning subscribers. Registration is required.
What makes your favorite music “special”? Is it the music itself? The memory of when you first heard it? The way it relates to your life? How do our backgrounds affect how we hear music? How can music help us relate to others? In this unique program, we’ll hear “special” music by composers from Colombia, Haiti, Scotland, and the U.S. and learn how it reflects us and helps us understand others.
See all Crossing Borders Music Streamable Learning livestreams and register at https://www.streamablelearning.com/app/events/cbm/

Open Boulevards: North Lawndale/We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community
2022-10-16 13:00 - 17:00 | On the boulevard green at 13th and Independence to Douglas Blvd to Central Park
The Haitian American Museum of Chicago will bring its outdoor, community, traveling exhibition to North Lawndale for the second year in the row. We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community, was originally organized in 2020, in the Uptown neighborhood, in direct response to the Black Lives Matter protests and the disproportionate effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Black community. The primary collaborators of the exhibition came from the African-American and Black Diasporic communities, including BILPOC (Black, Indigenous, Latinx, People of Color) led organizations, immigrant groups, small business owners, local historians, cultural experts, artists and activists. The exhibition is an empowering cultural outlet that highlights positive Black contributions.
Crossing Borders Music will perform at 1PM.
HAMOC is collaborating with Crossing Borders Music, Lawndale Pop Up Spot, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) to expand on the exhibition and transform it into a festival-like event.
This event is part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance’s Journey Chicago programming.
Crossing Borders Music’s performance is made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Pictured: Artist Lowell Thompson at a previous “We Walk” in front of a poster of his Colored Wheel sculpture, credit Haitian American Museum of Chicago

New Music Chicago Presents: "From Slavery to Justice: the Ongoing Journey"
2022-11-15 19:30 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GtrW2x7668
New Music Chicago presents “From Slavery to Justice: the Ongoing Journey.” The program uses music to tell stories of African-American liberation. To celebrate Juneteenth, a historic date that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people, Crossing Borders Music commissioned new music of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Jordyn Davis, and Jessica T. Carter. Be one of the first people to hear their amazing works! The program will also include the 2021 revised version of String Quartet No. 1 by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa. The program will be the subject of a short documentary by Chicago filmmaker Rubye Lane, and is the brainchild of Crossing Borders Music board member and Strategic Planning Committee Chair Marjorie Adam Clark, who is also co-chair of the Forest Park Juneteenth Committee and Illinois Juneteenth Committee. Juneteenth, Marjorie says, is “a holiday of racial healing.”
Watch free online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GtrW2x7668
The program is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is made possible in part by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation and The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image Description: Composer Jordyn Davis in a grey sweater and long white skirt seated in front of a piano, a black and white image of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker with her hand on an analog synthesizer by MOOG, and Jessica T. Carter posing with a hand on her hip in a green gown and pearl necklace in what appears to be a cathedral

Streamable Learning: What Makes Music Special? Part 2: Music and Context
2022-11-29 15:30 - 16:15 | Streamable Learning
This educational livestream is for grades 6-12 students and teachers and open to all Chicago Public Schools teachers and students plus other Streamable Learning subscribers. Registration is required.
What makes your favorite music “special”? Is it the music itself? The memory of when you first heard it? The way it relates to your life? How do our backgrounds affect how we hear music? How can music help us relate to others? In this unique program, filled with “special” music by composers from Cambodia, Taiwan, Colombia, and India, we’ll learn how both the music itself and its context make it powerful.
See all Crossing Borders Music Streamable Learning livestreams and register at https://www.streamablelearning.com/app/events/cbm/

Ten Years of "Celebrating Resilience: Music by Iranian Bahá'ís"
2022-12-11 15:00 - 16:30 | Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St, Skokie, IL, 60077, United States
Highlighting persecution under Iran’s regime and heroic resilience in its face, Crossing Borders Music marks ten years of sharing the music and stories of Bahá’í composers from Iran with this unique program. As part of Iran’s systematic persecution of members of the Bahá’í religion, Bahá’ís are banned from attending college or university. In response, Iranian Bahá’ís and their supporters founded the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education, a grassroots school that holds classes in living rooms. At this school, despite government raids and faculty imprisonment and disappearance, these brave musicians learned and taught music, and continue to share from afar! This concert shares their inspiring stories and music.
Over the past decade, composer Badie Khaleghian wrote the piece “Hope” for Crossing Borders Music, and composer Farid Javidan wrote the piece “Hamun.” Crossing Borders Music musicians Marianne Parker, piano; Jennifer Leckie, violin; and Tom Clowes, cello will share these pieces of music, as well as “When the Roses Laugh in Full-Blown Beauty” by Parisa Sabet, Nikan Milani’s Piano Trio, and Safa Shahidi’s “Persian Dreams,” specially arranged for Crossing Borders Music by Safa.
This program is made possible thanks to the Skokie Library, and through support from the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Pictured: In front of a grey background, composer Parisa Sabet sports a sleeveless black dress and a necklace as she looks at the camera and crosses her arms. Credit Aida Sabeti

Iranian Bahá'í Music Livestream: "Celebrating Resilience"
2023-01-22 14:00 - 15:30 | Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube livestream
Highlighting persecution under Iran’s regime and heroic resilience in its face, Crossing Borders Music marks ten years of sharing the music and stories of Bahá’í composers from Iran with this unique livestream program, “Ten Years of ‘Celebrating Resilience: Music by Iranian Bahá’ís.'” Joining the livestream will be composer and Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education alumna Parisa Sabet.
As part of Iran’s systematic persecution of members of the Bahá’í religion, Bahá’ís are banned from attending college or university. In response, Iranian Bahá’ís and their supporters founded the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education, a grassroots school that holds classes in living rooms. At this school, despite government raids and faculty imprisonment and disappearance, these brave musicians learned and taught music, and continue to share from afar! This livestream shares their inspiring music and stories.
Over the past decade, composer Badie Khaleghian wrote the piece “Hope” for Crossing Borders Music, and composer Farid Javidan wrote the piece “Hamun.” Crossing Borders Music musicians Marianne Parker, piano; Jennifer Leckie, violin; and Tom Clowes, cello will share these pieces of music, as well as “When the Roses Laugh in Full-Blown Beauty” by Parisa Sabet, Nikan Milani’s Piano Trio, and Safa Shahidi’s “Persian Dreams,” specially arranged for Crossing Borders Music by Safa.
This program is made possible thanks to the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Pictured: In front of a grey background, composer Parisa Sabet sports a sleeveless black dress and a necklace as she looks at the camera and crosses her arms. Credit Aida Sabeti

Educational Livestream: Celebrating Black Trailblazers
2023-02-02 15:30 - 16:15 | Streamable Learning
This educational livestream is for grades K-8 students and teachers and open to all Chicago Public Schools teachers and students plus other Streamable Learning subscribers. Registration is required.
This Black history month, Crossing Borders Music celebrates African-American trailblazers in and through music! Using music, we’ll learn about the lives of Chicago’s first non-native resident Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, trailblazing composer Florence Price, and more!
See all Crossing Borders Music Streamable Learning livestreams and register at https://www.streamablelearning.com/app/events/cbm/
Pictured: a black and white photo of Florence Price, a light-skinned Black woman wearing earrings and a dark dress, looking reflective in front of a background of handwritten music manuscript

"Reflections of the Arab World" at the Indian Trails Library
2023-02-25 15:00 - 16:30 | Indian Trails Library, 355 Schoenbeck Rd, Wheeling, IL, 60090, United States
Hear how Levantine, or “Arab World,” composers combine elements of Arab classical music and Western classical music to reflect their identities and tell their unique stories in this brand new string quartet program! Featuring music by Nahla Mattar, Touffic Succar, Elie Kallab, Mahdi Al Mahdi, Arian Abbas, and much more!

The program is free and open to the public.
In collaboration with and support of Dozan World’s efforts to publish music by Levantine composers, this program highlights new publications in the Dozan World catalog. Learn more at dozanworld.com
Pictured: Arian Abbas, a Kurdish composer and oud player born in Qamishli, Syria, in 1983 and currently living in Beijing, China, wearing blue pants, a light blue shirt, a thin dark blue jacket, and a red scarf, standing in front of stairs leading up to a building with columns containing Chinese writing

Live: Haitian Music for Change
2023-03-10 14:00 - 15:50 | The Illinois Room, Floor 3 of Student Center East, University of Illinois at Chicago, 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, 60607, United States
This event will take place in the Illinois Room on the third floor of Student Center East at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Crossing Borders Music string quartet meets with students and shares selections of music by Haitian composers, Levantine composers, and more!
This performance and talk with University of Illinois – Chicago music students is also a free event open to the public.
Image: Pictured: before a grey background, a headshot of Haitian composer Rudy Perrault posing with hands folded under his chin around a conducting baton, looking at the camera
This program is made possible through support from the University of Illinois – Chicago, the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency

Live: Haitian Music for Change
2023-03-19 15:00 - 16:30 | Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St, Skokie, IL, 60077, United States
The Crossing Borders Music string quartet shares a program of music in response to Haiti’s current humanitarian crisis. The program includes Rudy Perrault’s “Exodus” string quartet which tells through music the story of Haitian immigrants and refugees, “Strings for Change” by Gifrants which was written in response to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, “Chrysallis devient papillon,” a metaphor for transformation by Sabrina CD Jean Louis, plus the premiere of “Ti pawol” by John Karly Fils Ménard, showing the incredible talents of Haiti’s next generation of musicians, and more!
The program marks ten years of sharing music by Haitian composers since Crossing Borders Music’s first-ever performance “Beyond the Headlines: Haiti in Music.”

Image: Pictured: before a grey background, a headshot of Haitian composer Rudy Perrault posing with hands folded under his chin around a conducting baton, looking at the camera
This program is made possible through support from the Skokie Public Library, the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

"Concert Exodus," Haitian Music for Change
2023-03-25 19:30 | Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, 4750, avenue Henri-Julien, Montreal, Quebec, H2T 2C8, Canada
In collaboration with The Société de recherche et de diffusion de la musique Haitiënne, Crossing Borders presents “Concert Exodus” live in Montreal.

The Crossing Borders Music string quartet shares a program of music in response to Haiti’s current humanitarian crisis. The program includes Rudy Perrault’s “Exodus” string quartet which tells through music the story of Haitian immigrants and refugees, “Strings for Change” by Gifrants which was written in response to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, “Chrysallis devient papillon,” a metaphor for transformation by Sabrina CD Jean Louis, plus the premiere of “Ti pawol” by John Karly Fils Ménard, showing the incredible talents of Haiti’s next generation of musicians, and more!
The program marks ten years of sharing music by Haitian composers since Crossing Borders Music’s first-ever performance “Beyond the Headlines: Haiti in Music.”

Tickets: CAN$40 Click here to reserve your spot!

Crossing Borders Music Ten Year Celebration Concert
2023-04-15 15:00 - 16:30 | The Haitian American Museum of Chicago, 4410 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
In collaboration with the Haitian American Museum of Chicago, the Crossing Borders Music string quartet shares a program of music by Haitian composers, presented in response to Haiti’s humanitarian crisis. The program includes Rudy Perrault’s “Exodus” string quartet which tells through music the story of Haitian immigrants and refugees, “Strings for Change” by Gifrants which was written in response to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, “Chrysallis devient papillon,” (“Chrysalis Becomes Butterfly”) a metaphor for transformation by Sabrina CD Jean Louis, plus hopeful music showing the incredible talents of Haiti’s next generation of musicians, and more!

The program marks ten years of sharing music by Haitian composers since Crossing Borders Music’s first-ever performance “Beyond the Headlines: Haiti in Music.”

This program is made possible through support from the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Suggested donation: $10 per ticket

Presentation at One State arts conference
2023-04-24 15:00 - 17:00 | IL
Nisa Pov, Resident Artist of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum and roneat ak (Cambodian xylophone) performer of the Cambodian Museum Mahori Ensemble, and Tom Clowes, executive director and cellist of Crossing Borders Music, join a discussion at the OneState arts conference titled “Local Artists, Global Issues: Centering Lived Experiences in Artmaking,” including a live performance with Pov and Crossing Borders Music!
This event is open to One State Illinois arts conference attendees.

Live: Cambodian Museum Mahori Musicians and Crossing Borders Music
2023-05-20 19:30 | First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N Dunton Ave, Arlington Heights, IL, 60004
Crossing Borders Music the Cambodian Museum Traditional Music Ensemble for an amazing night of new arrangements of Cambodian classics! The performance includes beautiful new arrangements made by Crossing Borders Music violinist Rasa Mahmoudian and overseen by Nisa Pov for the 2021 Cambodian Day of Remembrance. Be one of the first people to ever hear this amazing fusion of Cambodian and European traditional instruments – live and in-person!
Our sincere thanks to the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights Music Ministry for hosting this performance, with additional thanks for the support from the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The event is free and open to the public. Your free-will donations helps support equitable performer pay.
Pictured: the Cambodian Museum mahori ensemble performs with Crossing Borders Music string players at the Morton Arboretum Destination Asia festival

Live: Cambodian Museum Mahori Musicians and Crossing Borders Music
2023-05-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Global Citizenship Experience Lab School, 9 W Washington St, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60602, United States
Crossing Borders Music joins the National Cambodian Heritage Museum Traditional Music Ensemble for an amazing afternoon of new arrangements of Cambodian classics! The performance includes beautiful new arrangements made by Crossing Borders Music violinist Rasa Mahmoudian and overseen by Nisa Pov for the 2021 Cambodian Day of Remembrance. Be one of the first people to ever hear this amazing fusion of Cambodian and European traditional instruments – live and in-person!
Tickets are limited and just $10! Get yours while they’re still available: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-cambodian-museum-mahori-musicians-and-crossing-borders-music-tickets-631819177167
This present is presented by GCE Lab School. The event organizers acknowledge support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Additional support for Crossing Borders Music is provided Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Pictured: Nisa Pov, Resident Artists of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum, with the Crossing Borders Music string quartet

Music Livestream: Reflections of the Arab World
2023-06-04 14:00 - 15:30 | Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube livestream
This event may be viewed live at : https://fb.me/e/1dl3NF6F4
After the stream, the event may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/CrossingBordersMusic/live_videos/
Hear how Levantine, or “Arab World,” composers combine elements of Arab classical music and Western classical music to reflect their identities and tell their unique stories in this brand new string quartet program! Featuring Egyptian composer Nahla Mattar as a live guest, plus music by Touffic Succar, Elie Kallab, Mahdi Al Mahdi, Arian Abbas, and much more!
The program is free and open to the public.
In collaboration with and support of Dozan World’s efforts to publish music by Levantine composers, this program highlights new publications in the Dozan World catalog. Learn more at dozanworld.com
This program is made possible through support from the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and by supporters like you. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Late Night at the Galleries | Roots: Haitian String Trios
2023-06-14 18:00 | The Art Center Highland Park, 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL, 60035, United States
Hear string trios by Haitian composers “rooted” in the beauty of Haitian culture and its unique history, religion, and folk traditions! Music by Werner Jaegerhuber, Rudy Perrault, Sabrina C D Jean Louis, plus folk song arrangements by Julio Racine celebrate Haiti’s revolutionary freedom-seeking origins, its folk music, its unique religious traditions – and its connection to Chicago through Chicago’s founder, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable!

Free and open to the public

Crossing Borders Music at Artists of the Wall Festival
2023-06-18 12:00 | IL
Nisa Pov, roneat aek (and Resident Artist of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum) and Crossing Borders Music string quartet perform live in Rogers Park at the Artists of the Wall Festival.

The 600’ Wall features 160 individual “artist spaces” of various sizes and shapes and runs along the lakefront between Farwell and Morse Avenues. Each year’s art remains on display until May, when the wall is again whitewashed and prepared for the next year’s newly themed art works. And so, began a tradition which has grown into an annual celebration and features live music with free performances by international artists against the backdrop of Lake Michigan.

It’s a true celebration of community, creativity, and music that is kept going by the work of the non-profit Loyola Park Advisory Council.

FREE and open to the public.

Music Livestream: Celebrating Juneteenth!
2023-06-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube livestream
This livestream includes premiere videos of new music by The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker, Jordyn Davis, and Jessica T. Carter, commissioned by Crossing Borders Music! The program also marks the online premiere of the 2021 revised version of String Quartet No. 1 by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa. The livestream includes also the online premiere of a beautiful short documentary by Chicago filmmaker Rubye Lane about the project!
“Celebrating Juneteenth!” uses music to to tell stories of the ongoing journey from slavery to justice. It is the brainchild of Crossing Borders Music board member and Strategic Planning Committee Chair Marjorie Adam Clark, who is also co-chair of the Forest Park Juneteenth Committee and Illinois Juneteenth Committee. Juneteenth, Marjorie says, is “a holiday of racial healing.”
This event will be broadcast live on the Crossing Borders Music Facebook and YouTube channels.
Featuring Phyllis Calderon, Rasa Mahmoudian, and Jennifer Leckie, violins; Sixto Franco, viola; and Kailie Holiday and Tom Clowes, cello; Aidan Kranz, cinematrography; Ryan Mac Donald, sound; with special thanks to Mi Ran Choi for their technical support.
“Celebrating Juneteenth!” is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This program is made possible in part by the Paul M Angell Family Foundation and City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Crossing Borders Music acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Image Description: Composer Jordyn Davis in a grey sweater and long white skirt seated in front of a piano, a black and white image of The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker with her hand on an analog synthesizer by MOOG, and Jessica T. Carter posing with a hand on her hip in a green gown and pearl necklace in what appears to be a cathedral

World Refugee Day - performance by Hamid
2023-06-24 14:45 - 15:30 | Foster Beach Park, 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60640, United States
Hamid is a Canadian Rohingya refugee musician. Through World Refugee Day, Crossing Borders Music, and the Field Foundation of Illinois, he’s traveling all the way to Chicago for this special performance!
FREE and open to the public
Bio: https://musicinexile.org/hamid/

We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community
2023-07-08 14:00 | Mandrake Park, 3858 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL, 60653, United States
For this project, HAMOC brings its traveling exhibition, We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community back to Mandrake Park in the Bronzeville area for a second year in order to continue providing Haitian, Black and Diasporic art, culture, history and music to the residents of the area. To expand the exhibition’s impact and reach within the community, HAMOC will add 2 live arts performances, including painting and music by Crossing Borders Music, a long time collaborator whose program “Looking Back and Looking Forward” will include a string quartet playing music by Black composers, including a newly commissioned arrangement of music by Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged for Crossing Borders Music by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa.

We Walk: A Celebration of Black Community, was originally organized in 2020, in the Uptown neighborhood, in direct response to the Black Lives Matter protests and the disproportionate effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Black community. The exhibition was made up of 19 small thematic exhibits, anchored by trees, created by a diverse, multi-racial group of artists, performers, educators, and contributors from across Chicago. The primary collaborators came from the African-American and Black Diasporic communities, including BILPOC (Black, Indigenous, Latinx, People of Color) led organizations, immigrant groups, small business owners, local historians, cultural experts, artists and activists. The exhibition was an empowering cultural outlet that highlighted positive Black contributions. The success of this 2020 event led to HAMOC transforming “We Walk” into a traveling exhibition.

Crossing Borders Music performance begins at 2:00pm.

This event is FREE and open to the public.
