Lakota Music Project to present free concert this week

This event listing is sponsored by LSS.

The Lakota Music Project’s tour arrives in Sioux Falls with a free concert this week.

It will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Multi-Cultural Center Coliseum at 515 N. Main Ave.

The Lakota Music Project is the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s flagship Bridging Cultures Program. Created between 2005 and 2008, LMP addresses a history of racial tension, builds bridges between Native and non-Native Americans and creates an environment of openness through the sharing of music, according to Brandy Hartman, marketing manager for the SDSO.

“Essentially, it is a practical demonstration between white and American Indian musicians to advance cultural understanding,” she said.

The free concert features world premieres of works by composer Derek Bermel in collaboration with Creekside Singers drum keeper Emmanuel Black Bear and by composer Jeffrey Paul in collaboration with Bryan Akipa, Dakota cedar flutist, serving as cornerstones of the LMP’s collaborative creation focus.

The tour programs explore shared human experiences of celebration, humor, love and youth demonstrated through music of Lakota, Dakota and western classical traditions, and this tour introduces works by students of the SDSO’s Music Composition Academy, which serves young people from tribal communities in South Dakota.

To date, four works and one arrangement for Lakota artists and SDSO musicians have been commissioned for the LMP.

“The project itself has been a learning experience from other cultures. I’ve been honored and happy to perform with all the musicians, no matter what background they are from — and to be able to share that with the people of South Dakota to show how we can build relationships rather than argue about who has the better culture,” Black Bear said.

“That’s the best part – to show the Lakota way of life in a positive way because we have dealt with so many negative stereotypes of our people. I’m grateful to show the people of South Dakota how similar we all are as humans. Now, it’s coming full circle with my son, who will be the leader of the program this time. I’m looking forward to seeing the changes that can come from the Lakota Music Project.”

No tickets are needed for the concert. A post-concert reception will follow.

Hosting the concert is a good fit for the MCC, program supervisor Valeria Wicker said.

“The Lakota Music Project aims align with our mission at the LSS Multi-Cultural Center: to connect communities through the common threads of humanity such as music,” she said. “We can’t wait to receive the SDSO, Bryan Akipa, the Creekside Singers and the Sioux Falls community at the Coliseum on Oct. 18.”

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