People-to-People Engagement through Music: U.S. Department of State Announces New Partnership with the Association of American Voices

ST. LOUIS, MO, November 03, 2011 (Press-News.org) The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced today a new partnership with the Association of American Voices to engage with people across the world through music. Known as American Music Abroad, this people-to-people exchange will feature a wide variety of American musical genres through international cultural exchange initiatives that will reach more than 40 countries around the world during 2012 and 2013.

The Department of State and the Association of American Voices will create a series of month-long, multi-country cultural exchanges in which 10-12 ensembles representing American musical traditions will conduct public concerts, interactive performances with local musicians, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and jam sessions with diverse audiences. American Music Abroad activities will focus on younger and underserved audiences in approximately 40 countries with little or no access to live American performances.

American Music Abroad builds on the historic legacy of the Jazz Ambassadors, who first traveled the world in the 1950s in an effort to engage through people-to-people relationships.

American Music Abroad ensembles will be selected through an open competition on the basis of artistic quality and commitment to education and cultural engagement. Further information about the application process for musicians will be announced later this fall.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, private-sector, professional, and sports exchange programs. ECA exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in many fields in the United States and in more than 160 countries. Alumni of ECA exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 300 current or former heads of state and government.

The Association of American Voices has presented concerts, workshops and master classes, and summer youth performing arts academies to over 200,000 audience members in 110 countries during the past sixteen years. With a focus on nations emerging from conflict or isolation, American Voices has taken its unique brand of cultural engagement programs, Jazz Bridges, YES Academy and Hiplomacy to nations such as Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. In recognition of its work, American Voices was selected as a Best Practice Organization by the International Cultural Engagement Task Force and the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD) in 2010.

For more information contact:

American Voices: Paul Rockower, 301-875-8319 or Paul.Rockower@americanvoices.org
U.S. Department of State: Talley Sergent, 202-288-3124 or SergentRT@state.gov

American Voices is a nonprofit that conducts cultural diplomacy in difficult places. For more information, please visit: http://www.americanvoices.org