Tenri Cultural Institute Presents Donna Weng Friedman's Heritage & Harmony

On Sunday, May 15th at 4pm, the Tenri Cultural Institute will present Heritage and Harmony, live in concert- a series created by pianist Donna Weng Friedman in 2020 to promote understanding and tolerance among people of all backgrounds. Heritage and Harmony programs aim to bring people together through stories, music & dance.

The featured artists of this in-person, multi-faceted concert -renowned cellist Soo Bae, acclaimed soprano Marsha Thompson, dancer extraordinaire Hana Ginsburg Tirosh, and piano virtuoso Donna Weng Friedman - will weave their heartwarming stories of heritage into the music they perform. The varied program will include music by today's most celebrated composers- Chinary Ung, Beata Moon, Kim Sherman and Stefania De Kenessey- as well as masterpieces from the past.

Heritage and Harmony is proud to present two world premieres, choreographed by Ariel Grossman, the creative artistic director of Ariel Rivka Dance, with a special guest appearance by the amazing Jesse Obremski.

One of the dances, Never Fade Away, tells the heartwarming story of series creator Donna Weng Friedman's immigrant father, about how a radio and a waltz changed his life. Ms. Weng Friedman shares "My father's story, like so many others, will remind us of the power of the immigrant experience, and the ideals and grit and perseverance that immigrants bring to this country."

Choreographer Ariel Grossman has this to say about the challenges of retelling someone else's story through dance: "When Donna shared the remarkable memory of her father, I looked at my own life to find a way to connect to the deep meaning it had for her. In this duet, I have reimagined Donna's young understanding of her parents and their journey. With tenderness, perseverance and pride, these two people dance into a new future they wrote for themselves."

For 30 years, the Tenri Cultural Institute's mission has been to foster cultural understanding, harmony and community by presenting both performing and visual arts of the highest caliber in a beautifully tranquil, supportive, intimate setting.

For tickets and more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heritage-harmony-bringing-people-together-through-stories-music-dance-tickets-309174076987