Pittsburgh World Music Day to Premiere June 14 at Three Rivers Arts Festival Featuring Free Live Music, Deejays

Pittsburgh's first World Music Day will be launched Friday, June 14 at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival at Point State Park. This free event will include live music and deejay presentations from noon to 7 p.m. Two major world music acts, Red Baraat and Jontre, representing traditional and contemporary music of India and Colombia respectively, will debut at the Festival.

Red Baraat

World Music Day is a collaboration of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Global Beats, a regular presenter of world music events, supported by a grant from Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization committed to attracting, retaining, elevating and educating people of all backgrounds, including new Americans, and creating an environment that is inclusive and welcoming.

“At the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, we envision the festival as a safe place for the open exchange of creativity and dialogue, ideas and participation," said Veronica Corpuz, Director of Festivals and Special Projects for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. "World Music Day is an opportunity for festivalgoers to learn about different cultures through different art forms. We’re grateful to Vibrant Pittsburgh and our partners at Global Beats for the support."

Carla Andréa Leininger, President of Global Beats, said the focus of the collaboration with the Trust is "to create a welcoming environment where being different is being equal, and contemporary world music is celebrated amongst thousands of spectators in the heart of the city – at no cost and for the whole family." Leininger recently won the Brazilian International Press Award for her years of dedication to the Brazilian Radio Hour (Cantinho Brasileiro no Rádio), on WRCT 88.3 FM Pittsburgh.

The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival is one of the biggest summer events in Pittsburgh, annually attracting between 300,000 and 500,000 people to downtown Pittsburgh during the festival’s 10-day run. With this project, the partnership plans to continue to expand the city's diverse artistic and cultural programming while attracting groups from different ethnicities, countries and cultures to network, mingle and enjoy music and culture, Corpuz said.

World Music Day Concerts include:
Jontre | Dollar Bank Stage | 12pm & 6:30pm
In his US premier, Jontre will open World Music Day, performing Latin and African-American grooves with Colombian flavor. Jontre has recently been featured in the “Latin Beat” collection of “Putumayo” world music label.

Red Baraat | Dollar Bank Stage | 7:30pm
This NYC group has drawn worldwide praise for its singular sound – a merging of hard driving North Indian bhangra rhythms with elements of jazz, go-go, brass funk, and hip-hop – that manifests joy and unity in audiences everywhere.

Other World Music Day Events:
Lungs Face Feet | Katz Plaza | 5 - 7 pm
Move to the original music of this Pittsburgh-based 9 piece brass band.

DJ Pandemic Pete | Katz Plaza| 5 - 7 pm
Dance to a hybrid of traditional folkloric music with contemporary dance music from around the world.

Machete Kisumontao | Second Stage at Gateway Center | 5 - 6 pm
Enjoy the sounds of Afro--Caribbean roots music.

Floating Echo | Point State Park Portal Bridge | Daily
Artist: Chang-Jin Lee
Floating Echo is a transparent inflatable statue of Buddha sitting in lotus position on the water. The clear giant sculpture floats like an invisible being. It coexists and contradicts with nature, material and the Self. The piece was originally commissioned by Socrates Sculpture Park.

Conflict Kitchen | Point State Park Food Court | June 14 | 12 – 9 pm
Jon Rubin, Dawn Weleski and Robert Sayre
A take-out restaurant that serves cuisine from countries with which the United States is in conflict. This local favorite is on-site at the Festival for one day only offering Cuban specialties. Cuisine is augmented by discussions that expand public engagement with culture, politics, and issues at stake within the rotating focus country.

About Global Beats
Global Beats is a leading producer of global music events in Pittsburgh, PA. It was created to foster multicultural exchanges and to be an agent of social change through the sounds and fusion of world music. It features lounge and dance music from around the world, because quality music comes in all shapes, languages, colors, and sounds. 

About the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District.