Great Lakes Bay Region Students Catch The Swing and Rhythm of Brazil Thanks to Midland Center for the Arts & Arts Midwest World Fest Partnership

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Mar 19, 2015, 07:00 ET

MIDLAND, Mich., March 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 3,500 students in the Great Lakes Bay Region caught the swing and rhythm of urban Brazil when Paulo Padilha and Group visited in February 2015 as part of the Arts Midwest World Fest.

"We were so thrilled to have another Arts Midwest World Fest group coming to our city," says Mike Hayes, Midland Center for the Arts President and CEO. "We previously hosted groups from Québec, China and Israel. Paulo Padilha and Group visited a dozen regional schools, as well as a nearby university and other community locations during the week, and ended their visit with a full public concert in our auditorium. Brazilian music and culture is not something we get to hear and enjoy very often. Paulo Padilha is a highly acclaimed musician and clever lyricist with a mischievous sense of humor. It was a delightful experience for everyone."

In addition to presenting numerous residencies and workshops throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region, Paulo Padilha and Group presented a public performance at Midland Center for the Arts on Friday, February 27, 2015.

The two-year Arts Midwest World Fest, presenting international music ensembles in the nine-state region it serves, created an interest in world cultures for over 14,000 school children in the region. Paulo Padilha and Group was the final ensemble to visit Midland over the course of this two-year partnership with Arts Midwest. "Le Vent du Nord" from Québec, "Baladino" from Israel and "Shanren" from Yunnan Province in China have already visited for one week each.

A program of Arts Midwest, the 2013-2015 Arts Midwest World Fest cycle is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, 3M Foundation, BNSF Railway and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Paulo Padilha and Group was locally sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company, regional schools and The Cultural Awareness Committee of the Midland Area Community Foundation.

ABOUT ARTS MIDWEST WORLD FEST:
Arts Midwest's goal is to make meaningful and lasting impressions on the communities that host this program. The musicians conduct extensive residencies, where they perform in schools and in a variety of community venues and share their culture, music and language. This is a rich experience for the entire community.

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SOURCE Midland Center for the Arts