The Mid East/West Fest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: A Snapshot of a Cross-Cultural Tour

By Susannah Bielak, Arts Midwest Development Associate

Students awaiting the arrival of Eyal Sela and Darma Photo by Susanah Bielak

Background: Mid East/West Fest

The goal of the Mid East/West Fest is to foster, through cultural and educational experiences, an understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and commonalties. The Mid East/West Fest selects outstanding musical performers from the Middle East and Turkey, creates extensive curriculum to give context for the musical experience, and brings the dynamic combination to communities in rural and urban areas across the Midwest. The program was designed to create understanding of diverse cultures and enrich arts opportunities for K-12 schools. Using music as a connector, the Mid East/West Fest strives not only to reach children directly through school workshops and concerts, but also to impact their community through social activities and public concerts.

The National Endowment for the Arts provided support to Arts Midwest for touring presentations and curriculum development for the 2000-2001 Mid East/West Fest touring season. This season consisted of three month-long tours of Middle Eastern performing artists to St. Paul, MN; Cedar Rapids, IA; Chicago/Evanston, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Oxford, OH; and Muskegon, Grand Rapids, and Detroit, MI. Altogether, the program provided 24 public performances, 25 school concerts, and 103 educational workshops and social activities to 45,632 people including families, adults, and 38,044 K-12 school children. In each community, the artists performed public and school concerts and conducted in-school workshop/residency activities.

The artists selected were Israeli percussionist Chen Zimbalista and ensemble, Turkish jazz saxophonist Ilhan Ersahin and rap singer/hip-hop dancer Sultana and their ensemble, and Israeli woodwind player Eyal Sela and his ensemble, Darma. Educational activities occurred in band rooms, multipurpose rooms, classrooms, gymnasiums and auditoriums of public schools. Performances occurred in public schools as well as more public venues ranging from small community centers to state-of the art performance halls. The musicians interacted with groups as small as 12 students in world humanities classes and as large as 3,600 at public performances.

Following is one snapshot of the larger project–a day in the life of the Mid East/West Fest, or, more specifically, Eyal Sela and Darma in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Backdrop: Landscape and Players

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids, Iowa is home to 186,130 people. Nearly one hour away from the state’s bustling capital, Cedar Rapids is a quiet town framed by a long river strongly wafting the scent of oats. Fittingly, Quaker Oats is the third largest employer in the area, following aviation electronics and telecommunications. The population is 97% Caucasian, mostly from German and Dutch descent. Diversity in Cedar Rapids consists primarily in socio-economic class and age. The city is surrounded by rolling green hills (mostly of soy and corn).

Eyal Sela with a few of his instruments. Photo courtesy of Eyal Sela

Eyal Sela and Darma

Likened to a Pied Piper, Israeli artist Eyal Sela is a more sophisticated muse. Following a formal training and career in classical and jazz music, Eyal shifted to ethnic music ten years ago and is currently becoming one of the most influential world music artists. A master of various woodwind instruments, Eyal plays the Turkish clarinet, Indian bamboo flutes, Irish penny whistle, clarinet, as well as the Norwegian osterdal, Armenian dudak, and saxophone. As the leader of Darma, he is joined by ethnic musicians Gershon Waiserfirer and Yinon Mualem, and equally gifted Western-oriented musicians Noam Topelberg and Avraham Agababa.

Gershon is considered to be one of the best oud and joumboush players of Israeli ethnic music today. Yinon specializes in unique Middle Eastern percussion instruments including the zarb, bandir, dombek and tambourine. Noam, one of Israel’s leading bassists, has developed a special technique for playing ethnic music on an acoustic bass. Joining Yinon on percussion, Avi Agababa is one of Israel’s leading world music artists, with an extensive European recording history and touring experience across the world.

Apart from individually possessing a range of talents and an interest in pursuing music with deeper meaning, these artists share another present commonality. They came to Cedar Rapids to rock.

Day 1: May 7, 2001

8 a.m. Hotel Lobby

Under a blue morning sky filled with perfect cumulus, the band meets John Fitzpatrick, the arts coordinator of the Cedar Rapids School District. On the bus to Washington High School Fitzpatrick talks about the history of Cedar Rapids and describes his interest in the Mid East/West Fest: "The situation in the Middle East is a volatile one. We need to be aware of cultures and tradition. The Middle East is in the news every day–but what do we know about their cultures? I see the value of the Mid East/West Fest as giving a greater understanding of cultures of the world."

9 a.m. Washington High School Auditorium Performance

Washington High School is locally known for its diversity. In addition to having an 8% minority population, a relatively large percentage in Iowa, Washington prides itself in having different kinds of students and support for cultural exploration. The audience of 250 students and accompanying teachers that have siphoned into the auditorium includes a number of students of English as a Second Language.

The band is arranged in a semi-circle on-stage. After an invigorating musical introduction, Eyal goes around the crescent describing each member’s background and instruments. Avi Agababa, on percussion, shows the audience the rik, or Egyptian tambourine. He creates a call and response between his body, the internal cymbals of the drum, and the crowd. Noam Topelberg introduces his fretless bass guitar–which can connect notes, make slides and vibrato.

The group proceeds to intersperse achingly beautiful melodies, strong rhythms, and contagious beats with explanations of their origins. Eyal describes various blends of musical cultures connected to the name of his ensemble, Darma, or "the path." He informs the audience of distinctions separating ethnic music from classical/Western music: it is more ornamented and broad; it doesn’t conform to a strict rhythm. To illustrate, the band plays Norwegian Wood and a Brahms lullaby. To show the Western influence on ethnic music, Sela whips out the Irish tune, "Danny Boy."

So far, students and teachers have become acquainted with the oud, rik, dombek, Iranian zarb, joumboush, the Turkish clarinet, and the Indian bamboo flute. Darma has filled the auditorium with music from the Middle East, Balkans, Turkey and India. Now, the band will teach a simple Egyptian rhythm, the Baladee. Volunteers? Three students are chosen from hundreds of waving arms. One, named Basam, is from Kuwait. He free-styles on the dombek to thunderous applause.

The session closes with questions: "How long have you been playing together? Is this the kind of music kids in Israel listen to? Do you have a girlfriend?"

		A small sampling from Darma's instrumental palette. Photo courtesy of Eyal Sela

12:00 p.m. Workshop with the World Humanities Class

This workshop is conversational. Students begin with the basic: "You’re professional musicians in Israel–what do you do?" The class is curious about what kind of music each artist produces, their personal history. Eyal notes that they are all going through a change from rock ‘n roll and jazz to ethnic music– playing music that means more to them.

One student wants to know what the group has thought so far of the tour. "What was your favorite place to play?" Eyal responds. "Hutchins School in Detroit. Poor neighborhood. All black African-Americans. The students brought their parents. It was fun for them… like it fell from the sky. We also did a concert in Muskegon, Michigan for adults that had never heard ethnic music before. That was good."

Students inquire into differences between school structure in Israel and the Unites States and between teenagers in the two countries. They ask about how people dress, what they like to eat. And, they ask about the music. The group plays a small improvisation and describes hierarchies of notes, the different approach to time, and other nuances of their music as compared to classical Western music. "Singers imitate instruments. Instruments imitate singers. The Middle East has a special form where each part feeds another."

2:30 p.m. Coolidge Elementary Cafeteria

Part of the ensemble moves across town to Coolidge Elementary School. Noam, Gershon, and Yinon prepare to give a workshop to 250 grade school students. After they set up, classes file into the cafeteria.

Coolidge Elementary School, unlike Washington, is not known for its diversity. It does, however, have an emphasis on audience behavior. There is silence as Gershon begins the workshop. "We’re from Israel. Have you heard of Israel?…. Of course you have!" The children laugh as Gershon shows them his oud, a highly ornamented, gourd shaped instrument that he likens to a pregnant belly; Noam shows them how notes blend together on his bass; and Yinon demonstrates the dombek, whose form he compares to a glass of wine.

The abbreviated ensemble play short numbers, taking breaks to describe the music. When it comes time to ask for volunteers, the ensemble is flooded. Children have been clapping and moving from their spots, and a vast number leap up at the chance to belly dance.

The three musicians close to a chorus of small voices forming a large "THANK YOU!"

4:00 p.m. Coolidge Elementary: Afternoon chat

After moving equipment to the school library, where they will next perform, Gershon, Noam and Yinon move outside to wait for their colleagues. When they arrive, Yinon, who came close to pursuing professional basketball, shoots hoops with students while bassist Noam and clarinetist Eyal, both professional educators, talk theory with school district arts coordinator, John Fitzpatrick, and Dr. Mary Laner, principal of Coolidge.

John gives his take on the importance of art experiences in the students’ lives. "In order to develop a stronger, a better and a more fair society, you have to be able to envision a better society. How you envision a better society is through experience of the arts." Mary Laner responds with her view about art. "I view the arts as important as reading and math. I view the arts as a methodology, a culture, a way of looking at the world differently, a way of recognizing those talents and expanding upon it."

Noam and Eyal want to know what attracted Mary Laner to the Mid East/West Fest. "These are parts of the world we don’t know much about. We hear about it in the news. We hear about major problems all the time. I felt our students needed to learn about the culture. They needed to know more than where it was on the map. They needed to learn about their music, their heritage, and their culture. They needed to learn about Israelis as people. It breaks down stereotypes."

5:30 p.m. Coolidge Elementary Library: Teacher Workshop

In the small library, Curious George and Peter Rabbit have been pushed aside. Amplifiers and guitar stands are tucked into a nook framed by the seated bodies of the musicians. After a small group of music teachers joins them, Eyal opens with a question: ‘So, you’ve got a classful of ten-year olds. How do you teach them asymmetric rhythm?"

He and the rest of the band begin to demonstrate. The teachers ask technical questions and inquire into the history of the music. One of the teachers is Katherine, who serves as an instructor, choreographer, and coordinator of music activity at Coolidge as well as surrounding schools.

After the group plays several songs to a warm reception, Katherine remarks: "I don’t think our kids have enough opportunity to see live musicians. I liken you to the troubadours that went from castle to castle in the Middle Ages… I see your ensemble as a gathering." Eyal agrees, noting that they pull together Balkan asymmetric rhythm, Persian music, Eastern mahkahm, American motif, and solos in Tzakazhim. He categorizes three styles of world music: one, that mixes Eastern and Western cultures together, a second that is pure ethnic music, old and new, and a third that is a Westernization of Eastern music. He considers the music of Darma of the second category. "Our music becomes a bridge–of Jewish and Muslim elements, of cultural awareness, and respect."

Day 2: May 8, 2001

9 a.m. Paramount Theater: School Performance

	Yinon Mualem on the rik, the Egyptian tambourine, Noam Topelberg on fretless bass, and students on mixed percussion at the Paramount Theatre. Photo by Susanah Bielak

One thousand children are seated with teachers and a few parents in the Paramount Theater’s turn-of-the-century performance hall. Everyone, contained by red velvet seats, is waiting for the show to begin. Eyal starts by talking.

"You probably know that we come from Israel, which is in the Middle East, something like 7,000 kilometers from here. Different instruments, different musical cultures. You know that in Israel, there are Muslims and Christians and Jews. And the Jews from Israel come from many different countries. They come from Yemen, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Iraq, Eastern Europe, and many, many other places. They bring with them their musical cultures. We’ll play our different instruments, and explain as we go."

Children perk up when Gershon mentions the joumboush. "Joumboush in Turkish is a mess. Years ago, when the Turkish had a big dinner, they wanted to sing a little. They didn’t have any instrument to play with, so they took a kitchen pot and put strings on it. That’s how the joumboush sounds." The joumboush also sounds and looks uncannily like a banjo. The audience warms to a familiar sound–American country music. By the end of Gershon’s tune, the crowd is sufficiently roused for the ensuing numbers- including Lazy Tree, an adaptation to a poem by Yehuda Amachai, one of Israel’s greatest contemporary poets; and a Hebrew sing-along to El Hamaya, a traditional folk song.

After Darma has melded sounds from Turkey, Ireland, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan and from Muslim, Baltic Christian, and Jewish traditions (to name a few), they move on to a different tradition, jazz. "There’s a very famous African-American composer: Herbie Hancock. Some of you have probably heard of him. He wrote ‘Watermelon Man.’ We took all the water out of the melon, and we’re going to play you ‘Dry Watermelon Man.’"

Now, after a languid interlude, the audience is ready to move. The band responds. It’s time to belly dance. Children flood the aisles and stage. Teachers are beaming. The performance hall is filled with bodies gyrating, singing, clapping and dancing as hard as they can. Shortly afterwards, as the music and dancing is replaced by thunderous applause, the members of Darma answer questions. "When did you start playing? Have you been to the United States before? Where can we find your music? When will you come back?"

Children go backstage to connect with the band. Teachers talk about how cool it is for their students to see artists from Israel. "This is their first exposure other than TV. It’s their first real chance to realize that not everybody, everywhere, is like us." Another adds, "it’s also a chance to realize that we’re similar–citizens of the world."

Later, in the evening public performance that caps off their Cedar Rapids visit, the band will have similar responses. They will be asked what motivates them and when they started playing. They will be asked about current affairs and life in Israel, how concerts are. They will be begged to come back. And, the band will play on across Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota as Darma proceeds to weave its way through the heartland.

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