ARCOMUSICAL IS GIVING BACK, PART 1
MAMA BAVIKILE NGEMA

Thanks to generous donors like you, Arcomusical has raised nearly $1000  that, thanks to our partners in South Africa at the Bow Music Foundation, are sent directly to Mama Bavikile and her family. If you enjoy Arcomusical's music, trust that it is founded upon a pillar of research and community building with respected elder figures like Mama Bavikile whose musicianship is unparalleled. We want to do all we can to give her comfort and support at this critical moment.

AND THERE IS STILL TIME TO GIVE!
CAN YOU HELP US REACH OUR $1000 GOAL?

If you'd like to contribute, please consider making a donation to Arcomusical NFP through May 1st. We will be absolutely certain that your donations get to Mama Bavikile as soon as possible, and we'll keep our community appraised of our collective efforts.

HOW DID ARCOMUSICAL GET TO KNOW MAMA BAVIKILE?

In 2016, Gregory Beyer and members of Arcomusical Brasil traveled to Durban, South Africa, to participate and perform at the First International Bow Music Conference. There, our lives were profoundly changed by the bright ray of sunshine and musical virtuosity that is Mama Bavikile Ngema. Born in 1951 in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Bavikile is revered as the foremost performer of the Zulu braced gourd-resonated bow, the umakhweyana. 

Her ever-present smile, emblematic of her profound joy and reverence for life in the moment, touched all of us at the conference. And her performing is a spectacle to behold. Greg stayed after the conference to spend time studying with Bavikile, and always imagined being able to return to continue that study in more depth. 

Sadly, her doctors have recently discovered a late-stage cancer that appears terminal. Heartbroken, Arcomusical is helping to organize fundraising efforts to send love and support to Mama Bavikile and her family at this critical time of need.

ARCOMUSICAL IS GIVING BACK, PART 2
UKRAINE TRUST CHAIN
Arcomusical is humbled and honored to be a part of this important fundraising event to benefit the Ukraine TrustChain organization, whose work directly aids wartime refugees fleeing their country. Since the war began, they have helped evacuate over 26,000 people and are actively feeding over 5,000 people daily.
 
We'll be joined by several fantastic musicians including the Chicago Folklore Ensemble, the Rogers Park Song Circle, Patricia Tyson, and Dani Che and Friends.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Lucia Thomas for inviting us to be a part of this.
 
If you can join us on Sunday at 4PM at the Lake Street Church of Evanston, we would be so very happy to have your presence and you can rest assured that your donations go to help innocent people get out of harm's way during this outrageous and completely unjust time of war.

GIVE DEKALB COUNTY 2022 IS MAY 5TH!
 

Each year in early May, Arcomusical is thrilled to participate in the largest annual nonprofit fundraising day in our home county of DeKalb, Illinois. Next Thursday, on May 5th, please support Arcomusical to raise the funding that we need to pursue our work and our vision of a better society.

Arcomusical's effort to spread the joy of the musical bow is rooted in a vision of an interconnected and close-knit community wherein everyone plays a critical role and everyone’s voice counts. Through our musical performances and outreach programs, we bring people together to share the joy of the African and Afro-Brazilian musical bow and in so doing to foster a deeper level of cultural and musical understanding in our society here at home.

We hope you'll show Arcomusical your support this year on Thursday, May 5th!

Spring 2022 Arcomusical Events!

MAY 1              Special Ukraine relief fundraiser event, Evanston, IL

MAY 5                       Give DeKalb County Annual Fundraiser Event!