Road Stories Blog

By Arts Midwest

Arts Midwest has long been a supporter of cultural exchange between the United States and Japan. This year, our Arts Midwest World Fest tour of the Japanese Agatsuma Ensemble coincides with the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

We encourage you—our friends, families, donors, and partners—to make a contribution to the relief effort. All donations will go directly to the American Red Cross.

By Lindajoy Fenley

One morning at breakfast at our hotel, Wes Anderson, curator at the Barnes County Historical Museum, mentioned that a local Jewish immigrant had once tried to create a New Israel in North Dakota. Believing few Jews live in the region, I found Anderson’s comment intriguing.

By Lindajoy Fenley

When I heard a Jefferson school third grader listening to the ensemble’s sound check say their music sounded both Egyptian and Indian, I knew the last workshop of the tour was going to be good. The kids were primed for it and so was the Israeli Ethnic Ensemble. The only thing left on the ensemble’s itinerary were two classroom conversations at Valley City State University, a short musical presentation at the Sheyenne Care Center on Friday, and their final concert on Saturday, Nov. 13.

By Lindajoy Fenley

Valley City students filling the auditorium twice Monday morning asked the same well-worn questions the Israeli Ethnic Ensemble has heard for the past month: How long have you played? When did you form the band? What is the most difficult instrument to play?

But things got interesting after Yonnie Dror turned the tables on them in the band class that followed lunch.