Past Events

Join us for a Community Drumming Experience. You will learn how to play the Djembe and Dununs (base drums which are the heart of the Malinke drum orchestra). Learn traditional music from the Hamana Region of Guinea, West Africa. Drums will be available for your use. All levels are welcome from beginner to advanced. You will be challenged at your level.

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Helen Bond is a performer, percussionist, educator and storyteller. She is the founder and owner of Medusa's Musical Mysteries, and co-founder of the Performance Ensemble "Diamana Diya" and the "Benkadi Project" charitable effort. Helen is the North American Representative for the Living Legend Famoudou Konaté and toured with him for nearly three months throughout North America 2006.

Helen has traveled to Guinea, West Africa over the past six years where she lives among the Malinké people. While there, she studies under world-renowned musician Famoudou Konaté , grand master of the djembe drum and its orchestra (bass drums-dununs). Helen spends her time learning traditional music, dance, songs and local culture of Guinea.

(the podium stage area at the University end of State St. in front of UW Bookstore and the Pres House - parking in Lake St. ramp). Featuring the music of Shawna Carol with Tom Cobb & pianist Anne Silverman, Celia, Wendy Bugatti, DevaNation, The Raging Grannies, Pete Calgaro, Rich Baumann, Natyarpana School of Indian Dance, YouthSpeaks Poets, and the artwork of Andre Ferrella & others. Join us for an uplifting grassroots concert for peace co-created by artists, musicians and creative folks from all walks of life! Dance, sing, drum - BE peace! Family friendly and free. All are welcome. Endorsed by the Madison Area Peace Coalition and welcomed by Community Radio WORT89.9FM in Madison. Additional support provided by: Ward Brodt Music Mall, QiWorks, Peaceful Heart Books in Oregon, Tao Shiatsu Center, Earth Wind & Flowers. Special thanks to Ron Dennis for sound and State St artist Taylor Knapp for the poster artwork.

This is a totally volunteer event - donations gratefully accepted to cover costs.

Shawna Carol is an internationally recognized composer, recording artist, sound healer, and author. She served as the musician-in-residence at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies for five years, and has performed from coast to coast, including serving as the Song Weaver at many major conferences including, the Women of Wisdom Festival, and the Body & Soul Conferences. Carol has shared the stage with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Michael Jones, Jennifer Berezan, Babatunde Olatunji and Ubaka Hill among others. She is a top selling artist on Ladyslipper Records with her CDs, Goddess Chant, Songwriter's Sketchbook, and Gaia Rocks.

In addition to her work as a composer/performer, Carol founded and directs the SpiritSong Center in Bedford, Massachusetts, and is the author of The Way of Song: Freeing the Voice Sounding The Spirit, St. Martin's Press. She has facilitated SpiritSong Workshops at the Omega Institute, The New York Open Center, Julia Cameron's "Creativity Camp", The Glastonbury Goddess Conference, and at Paul Winter's "Living Music Village".

Clare Norelle & The Book of Embraces: Music for peace in a time of war. Clare Norelle performs widely as a songwriter and storyteller. Book of Embraces is Norelle (vocals, guitar & mandolin), Scott Caldwell (percussion), and Ken Keeley (bass). The band plays original and international songs in several languages. Their all-ages music moves the body and soul, touching on themes of peace, justice, human rights, love, humor, and healing. See http://web.mac.com/clarenorelle or http://www.broadjam.com/clarenorelle

Olenka: Multiple music arts grant-award winner Alexandra "Olenka" Gadzik emigrated from the Carpathian Mountains of Poland with her parents and sister in 1977. Growing up in the multi-cultural atmosphere of New York City nurtured in her a love and affinity for world music. Now with her second profes-sional release, Rhythms of Another Life, Olenka's world fusion pop, relentless grooves and spiraling Euro-fringe melodies, sing the stories of women and foreigners.

"People come from all walks of life, most without previous singing experience, to sing in community and allow their spirits to find a voice," comments Carol. "Witnessing people finding their true 'Spititsong' has been one of the most profound experiences in my life." And meaningful it has been to its thousands of participants. Carol notes that within a year of coming to SpiritSong many have left dysfunctional jobs or relationships, or made other life-altering changes. "I hope people leave SpiritSong workshops or concerts with the sense that they have an authentic and unique voice, with important work to do and to offer."

To register via Visa or MC call 608-206-6219.
or mail payment to: Aries Rising Productions, PO Box 3230, Madison, WI 53704.

For 10 years, the Madison Children's Museum has hosted Kids for P.E.A.C.E. Day in honor of the United Nations' International Day of Peace/Hear the Children Day. From its humble beginnings in 1997 with 4 performers and 200 people attending, this event has grown to offer dozens of performances, a children's art exhibit, and all sorts of hands-on activities for thousands of area families.

This year's event features the International Clay Stomp with artist Joel Pfeiffer, Kids for P.E.A.C.E. Choir (all are welcome to join!), the Peace Mobile, a showing of the Peace Quilt - created by hundreds of kids over the past 10 years, and much more. For event details contact the Children's Museum at (608) 256-6445.

Kids of all ages are invited to join the Kids for Peace Community Choir! No previous experience necessary. Children will be singing the choruses to two powerful planetary anthems written after 9/11: Bless Our Planet by Shawna Carol and We Rise! by Gemma Bulos.

Following a performance at 11:00am by the Call for Peace Drum & Dance Company, the choir will be singing at 11:45 with lead vocals by Myschelle Kober. This will take place on the State Capitol steps & landings on the State Street side (facing the Madison Children's Museum).

To join the choir, or create squares for the peace quilt contact Mariah Miller at 608-206-6219.