Indigenous Voices Sing Out Amidst Sea Level Rise
Miami, Jan. 24, 2022 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Live Arts Miami, one of Miami’s first and boldest performing arts series, presents Small Island Big Song, a globally acclaimed collective of musicians representing 16 island nations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans in a live concert on Friday, Feb. 25, at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach.
Showcasing their music in Miami for the very first time, Small Island Big Song is renowned its gorgeous, multidisciplinary performances combining music, spoken word, and film that address the impacts of sea level rise and climate change on their delicate homelands. Having toured Europe and Asia to wide acclaim, the local premier of this groundbreaking and unforgettable project represents an exciting new chapter in the project’s history, connecting beyond the Indian and Pacific into the Caribbean. Small Island Big Song presents a contemporary and relevant musical statement for our city, connecting two regions on the frontlines of the environmental challenges we face today.
A global clarion call for climate action, the live concert draws together the authority and perspectives of first nation elders framed in a theatrical narrative amid panoramic visuals and expressed in one universal language – music. The audience experiences a musical journey across the breadth and into the soul of island nations of Pacific and Indian Oceans. The ensemble draws on a roster of respected indigenous artists whose unique lineages mixed with their diverse contemporary styles – roots-reggae, beats, R&B, folk & spoken-word, establish a contemporary musical dialogue between cultures as far afield as Madagascar, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Taiwan, Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and Rapa Nui (Easter Island), creating “One coherent jaw dropping piece” as described by Rob Schwartz – Billboard.
Small Island Big Song will be in residence for a week in Miami, engaging in a variety of educational events for MDC students and the general public. A field trip is scheduled for middle and high school students in collaboration with local environmental organization Dream in Green and Miami-Dade County Public School’s Cultural Passport Program, where students will enjoy a mini-concert and talk with the artists. Community engagement is also planned to facilitate cross-cultural collaboration and solidarity between Miami-based Caribbean artists and Small Island Big Song artists.
About Small Island Big Song
Small Island Big Song is a multi-platform project uniting the seafaring cultures of the Pacific and Indian Oceans through songs, a contemporary and relevant musical statement from a region at the frontline of the Climate Crisis. Founded by Taiwanese producer BaoBao Chen and Australian music producer and filmmaker Tim Cole in 2015, the two have been recording and filming with over a hundred musicians in nature across 16 island nations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The outcomes include an award-winning album, a feature film, outreach programs, and a live concert that has toured around the world across four continents reaching over 170K+ live audiences since the world premiere at SXSW 2018.
WHAT: Small Island Big Song
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m.
WHERE: North Beach Bandshell
7272 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
TICKETS: $35 General Admission at www.NorthBeachBandshell.com.
For more information about this performance, visit www.liveartsmiami.org. Click here for photos and videos.
COVID-19 POLICY: Live Arts Miami is fully committed to the health and wellbeing of every visitor, artist and staff member. Following guidance from the CDC, LAM has developed the following protocols for this open-air concert: Masks / facial coverings are strongly encouraged for the public and will be required for staff and crew. Venue capacity will be limited and social distancing is also strongly encouraged. No visitor or staff will be granted entry if they are demonstrating symptoms of COVID-19 or have been determined to have had trace-contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
About Live Arts Miami
Live Arts Miami is one of the city’s oldest and boldest performing arts series: an action-driven, people-centered platform for powerful performances, impactful community programs, and learning experiences that spark dialogue, raise awareness around pressing issues, and open minds and hearts in all who take part. Created in 1990, Live Arts Miami is proud to be a part of Miami Dade College’s celebrated Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, please visit liveartsmiami.org and follow @liveartsmiami on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates. The programs of Live Arts Miami are funded by Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; the National Endowment for the Arts; National Performance Network (NPN); the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. In addition, live Arts Miami is a Partner of the National Performance Network (NPN). Major NPN contributors include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Media Inquiries + Interviews, please contact: Yvette N. Harris, 786.897.8854 or info@harrispublicrelations.com.