Beautiful. Breathtaking. Intense. Inspiring

Photograph by Ronald Scott,
http://www.beholdingeyes.com/

We were proud to be a part of the second annual Global Sacred Music Concert and to add a ripple of peace to our world in these tumultuous times. It was beautiful and moving, and better described by a member of the audience who wrote in to the Dallas International Website after the concert:

"I just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you for the information on your site about the Global Sacred Music Celebration. I was able to attend and had no idea what was in store for me. The event last Sunday was beyond words. It has always been a goal of mine to experience a bit of many different faiths/religions/beliefsystems. I didn't have a clue that I was going to have the opportunityto do just that, all in one sitting. From the first call to prayer,until the candles were blown out at the end, I had goosebumps. As I looked around, I couldn't stop smiling at the beautiful diversity and beautiful one-ness that filled the room. Beautiful just doesn't evencome close to adequately describing what I saw that afternoon, but it's the best I can do at the moment. I was honored and humbled to intimately share in prayer and praise with so many incredible people. I can't find the words to express how moving it was...so many paths on the same journey. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Intense. Inspiring. As I left, I was filled with hope. If we, from so many different walks, can come together in peace and prayer for two hours one day....then maybe, just maybe, one day we will all come together. It has to start with one...and it has. Thank you for being part of the peace journey and for sharing yourself and your gifts with us all. Your presence here is such a blessing. Have an awesome weekend and keep the angels close" ~Tracy D.

Global Sacred Music Celebration on Easter Sunday

Photograph by Ronald Scott

http://www.beholdingeyes.com/

April 8, 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Unity Church of Dallas
6525 Forest Lane (between Preston and Hillcrest Roads)
in North Dallas

Tickets are only $5 at the door!

Sacred music is the vehicle for spiritual awakening in many world cultures, touching us all with a sense of peace, hope and connection with the Divine. For the second consecutive year, the DFW International Community Alliance will close its International DFW Month with a Global Sacred Music Celebration on Easter Sunday, April 8, at 4:00 p.m. at Unity Church of Dallas, 6525 Forest Lane (between Preston and Hillcrest Roads) in North Dallas. A dozen faiths and traditions will be represented in the two-hour concert that affirms our spiritual unity. Tickets for the Global Sacred Music Celebration are $5, and can be purchased in advance at www.dfwinternational.org/festival/sacred. They will also be available at the door. Light refreshments will be served after the concert.The Global Sacred Music Celebration is the concluding event of International DFW International Month 2007, one of 20 collaborative events organized by the DFW International Community Alliance. The month highlights global cultures through programs that celebrate the pioneer spirit of the New Americans who make up 40% of our regions residents.Featured artists and traditions include:

Native American - Monica Peña
Polynesia - Zonia Velasco
Islam - Zakariah Gharabiyeh
Buddhism - Vietnamese Monks
Judaism - Miriam Kolni
African - Baba Kwasi
Christianity - Rev. Ed Townley
Acolhua / Quechua (Native American)
DFW International Unity Ensemble
Judaism - Shirat HaLev
Islam - Jamal Mohamed, Baba Kwasi, Mawardi Sherif
Buddhism - Cornell Kinderknecht, the Vietnamese Buddhist monks, Chi Sing
Hinduism - ExpressionsIndia
African Traditions - Baba Kwasi and Ayubu Kamau
Christianity - Parranda Venezuela
Christianity - Unity Choir
Santeria - DFW International Unity Ensemble
Christianity - Zonia Velasco
Unity of All Faiths - All

The Global Sacred Music Celebration is one of more than twenty events and activities taking place during DFW International Month, March 6 to April 8, 2007. Visit http://www.dfwinternational.org/ or call 972-661-2764 for more information.DFW International Community Alliance is the portal for global North Texas, a network of 1,600 of the regions ethnic and internationally-focusedcivic, community and educational organizations. The organization promotes and links North Texas ethnic and immigrant groups through its website andcultural calendar at http://www.dfwinternational.org/, that receives over ten million hits a month. Dallas International Month 2007 is made possiblethrough the support of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and the Unity Church of Dallas with media support from KERA, Univision andTelefutura, CBS-11 and TXA 21.For additional information on the Global Sacred Music Celebration, to receive photos or schedule interviews, please contact Meg Fullwood with Fast Forward Productions at 214-946-9509 or by email at mhz@airmail.net

Thank You, Gracias!

• To everyone who came out to see us this year, your support and energy is what makes this all worth while!
• To each of the business owners and partners who invited us to play at their establishment
• To each Parranda Venezuela member: Douglas, Dulce, Edgar, Enrique, Felix, Hannah, Heiddy, Jorge, Julio, Paola, Puccio, Ricardo, Rino, Luis, Luisa, Maria Conchita, Marianna, Marianita, Nayi, Sandra, and Sofia
• To Carlos and Aaron for joining in when we needed you most

Check back soon to learn more about individual parranderos. I will be profiling each one during the year. I will also let you know where and when we play next. We will have a few scattered events during the year so please check back often!

Carla

Really, this is the LAST one...

(L-R: Sofia, Hannah, Conchita, Enrique, Sandra, Felix, Mariana, Mariana hija, Julio, Douglas, Paola, and Luis)

One FINAL performace to Celebrate Three Kings Day!

Saturday, January 6, 2007, at 8pm, Zaguan Bakery and Cafe. 2604 Oak Lawn Ave. Dallas, Texas 75219, http://www.zaguanbakery.com/. FREE

This is the day that ends the official Christmas season, learn more about the Venezuelan Christmas season at:
http://www.embavenez-us.org/kids.venezuela/folklore.traditions.htm
and about Three Kings Day at:
http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/3kings.htm

One LAST Performance!

We'll be playing ONE more time!

Saturday, December 30, 2006, at 8pm, Zaguan Bakery and Cafe. 2604 Oak Lawn Ave. Dallas, Texas 75219, http://www.zaguanbakery.com/. FREE

On the news

We were on the news last night and this morning, Fox 4. Check it out: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=1803136&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

I'm not sure how long the link will be live, but we're trying to figure out a way to save it.

Wow! Gracias and Thank you!

(Edgar and Carla at Navidad Latinoamericana)

We have had a great time this year! We added a lot of new songs to the repertoire and revisited some of our "old favorites". Despite the fact that a few members of our group had to sit out this season, we pulled through with a few new faces, and others stepped up to the plate for a bigger role. You may have noticed new solos, and Sofia playing tambora! I'm going to profile each parrandero as the year goes by so you get to know each one, what their role is and what drew them to the Parranda.

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to see us this year. Please read the November post below for ALL our special thank yous!

We may be playing ONE MORE time. Check back for date, time and place. Thanks again, Gracias!