By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota
I have always believed that music is the universal language, but seldom have I seen people and cultures brought together as beautifully as at the concert by the Lakota Music Project on Native American Day at Crazy Horse Memorial.
The Lakota Music Project is the flagship of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s Bridging Cultures program—an internationally recognized, exclusive and distinctive musical blending of South Dakota culture. LMP builds bridges between Native and non-Native Americans and creates an environment of openness through the sharing of music. At Crazy Horse, a diverse and appreciative audience that was a cross section of South Dakota’s population was profoundly moved by the celebration of sound created by South Dakota Symphony musicians, Lakota drumming group The Creekside Singers and Dakota cedar flutist Bryan Akipa.
The 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 were soaring, inspiring new pieces of music performed on a holiday that has historical significance in our state. South Dakota is leading the world in blending these musical languages and encouraging the writing of bold new music that interweaves traditions in ways that honor the cultural threads that make up the fabric of our state and its people.
But the Lakota Music Project is more than a synthesis of cultures—it’s a collaboration among creative people to energize future generations and imagine new and exciting possibilities for understanding. Not only are audiences inspired, entertained and uplifted—the musicians who participate report being fired by a new spirit of musical potential. Simply put, the Lakota Music Project captures the best in arts programming and its ability to transform our state through music and the arts.
To learn more about the Lakota Music Project and the work of South Dakota artists, please visit www.ArtsSouthDakota.org.
