October 2, 2015 at 4:21 p.m.
A new beat: Local students experience another culture through music
A new beat: Local students experience another culture through music
By Kayla Thomason-
The group has a very interesting history, as band members explained.
"There was a big, big community of Jews in Spain and in the 15th century," said percussionist Yshai Afterman. "They were expelled and they were scattered all around to North Africa and to Turkey and to different sections of Europe, but the songs and melodies, they kept them with them."
The Spanish songs started taking on the "flavor" of the songs from the countries the Jews had settled in. Some songs were infused with African sounds and culture while others had Turkish elements and so forth.
"It allows us to play something that has one root, but is also combining many traditions together and that is exactly what we are doing," Afterman said.
Band members came up with the name Baladino by combining two words: "Baladi" which means "land" in Arabic and "Ladino," which has origins in Spain and carries the traditions of the Sephardic Jews.
Baladino performed a few songs for the students, offered background on their instruments, and held a question-and-answer session.
Students from Phelps, Elcho, Creative Minds Charter School in Minocqua, and the Northland Pines School District chorus attended Wednesday's session.
Jonah Gilbert, a fifth grader at Creative Minds Charter School in Minocqua, enjoyed the experience.
"I loved it, it was really cool," Jonah said. "I thought it was really cool (to learn about another culture and the music). My dad - he is actually a pastor - so we know a lot about Israel and places like that, but I didn't know all that stuff and I learned a lot more stuff about that."
Jonah said he liked the last song that was played because "it was really bouncy and fun."
Lilah Kirkham, a fourth grader at Creative Minds, was mesmerized by the rich music.
"It was amazing, I loved the music," she said, adding that she especially loved the percussion and wants to listen to the band again.
Evan White, a third grader at Creative Minds, was equally happy with the experience.
"I think it was really good and I want to hear some more," Evan said, adding that he liked the older instruments. "My favorite thing that I learned about was how old some of the instruments were."
"We've been with (the children) and they're seeing the new instruments and sounds they've never heard and they're curious and also very, very educated," Afterman said. "They have manners, they know how to listen to us, we don't need to fight them, it's flowing really, really beautiful."
Kristyn Bragg, a teacher at Creative Minds Charter School, said the experience was important for the students.
"I think it's really nice (that the students got to participate in the workshop) because they don't really get exposed to all of the different types of cultures and music, so it's nice to be able to have them experience that and be able to hear from a band they haven't heard from and be able to see people from another country," she said.
Bragg said she liked how the band interacted with the children.
"I think it's really nice that the music is upbeat so (the children) can get into it and start dancing and (the band will) try to interact (with the students) and kind of get them to know all the different ones for it," she said, adding that she may play Baladino's music in her classroom.
Meanwhile, the band appreciated the warm Northwoods welcome.
"We've been very well accepted, also here in the States we go - for example - we've been playing here in small communities, small venues spread out around the states and people have just been really, really open and really, really accepting," Afterman said.
Jim Nuttall, Nicolet College theatre director, was proud to have such a prestigious group visit the school.
"This morning was great," he said, describing the performance/ workshop as "top notch."
He said he loved the energy and was thrilled to see the students become engrossed in the music.
"Just hearing all the differences in the music and yet at the same time the kids were hopping up and down and enjoying it," he said. "(Baladino) pulled in a modern feel and kind of a rock vibe to the whole thing that I think really, really grabbed the kids."
One of the questions the students asked that impressed him was 'when did you want to become a musician?'
"Particularly, (the band member's) answers for a lot of them was 'I wanted to become a musician when I was older than you guys are,' which I thought was just a real interesting thing for (the students) to hear and an important thing for them to hear," Nuttall said.
What he found most interesting was the musicians' responses to a question asking where their families were from, he said.
"When they would talk about where their parents were from, almost every single one of them their parents were from somewhere else, not from Israel," Nuttall said. "... It just made me realize, well of course, Israel is only (about) 60 years old, everybody is from somewhere else."
Nuttall echoed Bragg's comments about the importance of exposing children to other cultures.
"We're in a global society now and most of what we are reading or hearing about are in little tiny sound bites on Facebook, or two paragraph bullets on the news, and we don't really know about a particular culture or the individuals," he said.
"I got to listen to CDs of them but even if I didn't even get a chance to hear them we would have jumped on this opportunity," he added. "They are nationally known in their own country and Arts Midwest just picks good, good acts. I would have brought them in sight-unseen."
Arts Midwest, a group whose mission is to bring high quality art experiences to small Midwest communities, made the experience possible.
"This is really a gift, there is absolutely no way that we would be able to bring in even one of these groups let alone four over the next two years (without Arts Midwest)," Nuttall said.
Arts Midwest World Fest is a two-year program that brings four music ensembles to one community in each of nine states in the Midwest before cycling into another set of communities, according to Eric Smith, tour manager with Arts Midwest.
Arts Midwest partners with an art association that applies for the program, in this case Nicolet.
"I often see students come in here and they're like 'what's going on?' and they come out going 'wow, that was amazing' because they don't always have the opportunity to see that (kind of musical performance)," Smith said.
He thinks it is important for children to be able to put a face with a place and get to experience people from other cultures.
"I think it's immeasurably important, profoundly important (that children have these experiences)," Smith said.
Smith waned to let the community to know what an effort Nuttall and Julie Holperin, community representative, put forth to get Arts Midwest to Rhinelander.
He also stressed that Nuttall and Holperin are trying to make everyone's lives richer and better.
"People have to understand that they are a resource of learning and cultural enrichment, that they need support and they need acknowledgement," Smith said.
Everyone in the audience who got to participate in or witness the workshops got to experience a new culture and music.
As for the band, they got to see the Northwoods and experience its culture.
"This whole area is so beautiful ... literally our jaws (were) dropping every two seconds," Afterman said. "It's just such a pleasure and such an honor for us and the interaction with the community until now with all the workshops has been amazing and we've been so warmly welcomed. We're really, really happy, we're having an amazing week."
In addition to Afterman, Baladino is comprised of four other members: Yael Badash, singer; Tomer Moked, string instruments and he is in charge of the arrangements; Yonnie Dror, wind instruments; and Daniel Sapir who plays double bass.
They have a new album titled "Nedudim" in collaboration with Fifth House Ensemble in Chicago.
"Nedudim" means "wanderings" or "travelings."
Baladino can be found on Facebook, iTunes, Spotify and www.baladi no.com.
To learn more about the band, or upcoming bands that will make an appearance at Nicolet through Arts Midwest World Fest, visit www.artsmidwestworldfest.org to see the schedule. Teachers can also use the website to learn more about the bands they will be seeing with their classes.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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