All Around This World

For Philly families, join All Around This World on Friday, September 25th, at the Philadlephia Free Library main/Parkway branch from 10:45 am to 3pm for "Books and Beats," "A Free Day of Music and Literacy," featuring a phenomenal (and free!) concert for families at 11:15, featuring some of THE BEST children's musicians in the country...in the world!...like Saul Paul, Mega Ran, Strawbitty Yops, Pierce Freelon, DJ W***y Wow and Big Idea Committee, most of whom are coming in from far out of town for that weekend's The Children's Music Network conference.
Details are in the flyer image, and I'll post more in the first comment below.

A special thank you to The Presser Foundation!

All Around This World is grateful to have received both a 2025–2026 Special Projects Grant and a 2025–2026 Resilience Grant. The Presser Foundation's generous support has helped so much in 2026, enabling us to continue introducing "children of all ages" in Philadelphia to the wealth of world cultures through music.

We’re incredibly thankful for their support of our work and our mission.

Big news!

We are thrilled to share that All Around This World has been awarded a 2026 grant from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund !

This support provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund helps us continue our mission to serve and nourish our community through art and culture right here in Philly. Thank you to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker , PHLCouncil , and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier for investing in the cultural vitality of our neighborhoods!

More than five hundred years ago Polynesian settlers from Tahiti are believed to have come to the islands we now know as Hawaii, bringing with them their complicated system of deities, their social hierarchy and their system of Kapu that helped regulate that society by separating positive actions from bad. Hawaiian culture developed proudly over the next several centuries, giving rise to the sacred dance known as Hula… Continue reading on our website! Link in Bio or paste the link to go directly to Lesson 8 in our US and Canada section!

https://www.exploreeverywhere.com/hawaiian

[CONCERT POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY, MAY 21st!!] Join All Around This World at 6:30pm for a special World Stage performance with The Global Orchestra on Tuesday, May 19th at Perkins Center for the Arts in Moorestown, NJ -- and get ready to sing, dance, and experience music from around the world together.

This FREE community concert features The Global Orchestra, a dynamic cross cultural music collective blending musical traditions and styles from across the globe into an interactive, dance along celebration for all ages.

The performance will feature Jay Sand from All Around This World and an extraordinary ensemble of international musicians from the South Jersey and Philadelphia area, including:

— Phyllis Chappell (multilingual vocals)
— Bill Koutsouros (Greek multi instrumentalist)
— Qin Qian (Chinese erhu virtuoso)
— Joe Tayoun (Middle Eastern percussion)
— Senfuab Stoney (West African percussion)
— Bruce Kaminsky (Band Leader)

Come ready to move, sing, and celebrate the many sounds and cultures that connect us all through music.

Learn more: https://canvas.perkinsarts.org/events/353

Join All Around This World at “Kid’s Art Bash” on Saturday, April 18th at Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts in Burlington, NJ — and don’t miss your chance to jam with the Global Orchestra LIVE at 1pm.

This FREE community festival invites kids and families to explore creativity, make art, and experience music from around the world together in downtown Burlington. Bring your friends and your artistic spirit.

At 1pm, jump into the music with Jay Sand and these incredible Global Orchestra artists:

— Chad Brown (Balkan/Klezmer percussion)
— Youba Cissokho (kora, Senegal)
— Rob Curto (Brazilian accordion/piano)
— Qin Qian (Chinese erhu)
— Joe Tayoun (North African/Middle Eastern percussion)
— Cara Tratner (Klezmer saxophone/vocals)

Learn more: https://www.lyceumarts.com/kidsartsbash

Come ready to explore, create, and make music together — because no matter where we come from, we all speak music.

Join me at the World Music in the Classroom online summit, March 6-8, 2026 -- http://thehappymusicteacher.thrivecart.com/worldmusic/. I'm speaking LIVE on Friday, March 6th at 5pm eastern time and will be answering questions live on Sunday, March 8th, at 5pm eastern time, and a recorded workshop introducing All Around This World (http://www.ExploreEverywhere.com) will go public on Sunday, March 8th at 11am. I may not be on Facebook much through the weekend, but e-mail me ([email protected]) if you have any questions. Cheers!

Join All Around This World for "We All Speak Music" on Saturday, March 21st, at 10am -- a Sing-Along, Dance-Along Global Music Adventure! Live @ the Perkins Center for the Arts/Collingswood -- 30 Irvin Ave, Collingswood, NJ 08108.

Jay Sand and the "All Around This World" Global Orchestra All-Stars welcome you and your young kids, infants-in-arms and above, to the Perkins Center for the Arts for an exuberantly interactive exploration of global music!

This FREE family-friendly event begins at 10am with time to meet the musicians from AATW's Global Orchestra and get your hands on their traditional instruments from countries like Brazil, China, Lebanon and Senegal. The concert starts at 10:30 and will get you and your kids up and dancing to magical, multilingual, multi-national music.

RSVP HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/for-kids-aatw-s-global-orchestra-all-stars-march-21-perkins-in-collingswood

Performing with All Around This World's Jay Sand will be these extraordinary Global Orchestra musicians:

-- Chad Brown: Balkan/Klezmer percussion (West Philadelphia Orchestra
-- Youba Cissokho: 72nd Generation Griot from Senegal, playing kora
-- Rob Curto: Brazilian accordion/piano, (Philly Roda de Samba & Choro, Rob Curto Music
-- Qin Qian: Chinese erhu
-- Joe Tayoun: North African/Middle Eastern Percussion (Jaffna World Music Ensemble)
-- Cara Tratner: Klezmer Saxophone/vocals (Mariposas Galacticas -- http://instagram.com/mariposasgalacticas)

See you on March 21st!

CELEBRATE Chinese New Year 🧧

Also known as Chinese Lunar New Year, this lunisolar festival marks the turning of the year and the gradual return of spring. Celebrated over many days, it is a time for family gatherings, shared meals, and joyful tradition.

Music, rhythm, and movement are central to the celebrations. One well-known tradition is the lion dance—a symbolic performance where dancers move together in coordinated, martial arts–inspired steps.

The video we’re sharing was created specifically for All Around This World by our teaching partners, the Penn Lions. Designed for young learners, it introduces a simple lion dance movement often used to greet and close dances.

https://vimeo.com/1069034505?fl=ls&fe=ec

Jewish families around the world celebrate Hanukkah over eight nights by lighting a menorah, singing songs, giving gifts and sharing traditions they have carried through generations. The lighting of each candle invites reflection on resilience, memory, and the way communities keep stories alive through music and ritual.

Around this time of year, many cultures turn to songs that bring light into the season. In our wider global explorations, we look at how different traditions use music to mark moments of joy and connection. For Hanukkah, one beautiful example is “Ocho Kandelikas,” a Ladino song often sung during the holiday. Its playful rhythm and Sephardic roots offer a window into Jewish cultural history across the Spanish-speaking world.

Hanukkah reminds us how music, storytelling, and tradition continue to illuminate communities everywhere, each in their own way and with their own light.