OU to celebrate International Day of Peace with concert on Sept. 21

In celebration of the International Day of Peace, the Stone Sound Collective - led by Oakland University Professor Mark Stone - will present its annual Peace Day Concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 21 in Varner Recital Hall on the OU campus in Rochester Hills, Mich.

"I believe Peace Day is a great way for us to come together and celebrate the oneness of humanity," Stone said. "This year's theme, 'Cultivating a Culture of Peace,' is vital for us to consider and pursue within our diverse communities; from our OU community to our nation to our global family."

The Stone Sound Collective unites diverse music and dance to create a new global soundscape. The group brings together ancient percussion traditions of Africa and India with the lyricism of wind instruments and the joy of dance. The collective performs original compositions and choreography rooted in its member's wide-ranging experiences, creating art that celebrates the oneness of humanity by uplifting hearts, expanding minds and connecting souls.

In the group, Stone plays the newly-invented array mbira, an American-made 120 key lamellaphone and traditional melodic African instruments, including the Ghanaian gyil and South African karimba. He is joined by Matt Dufresne (saxophones, bass clarinet, flutes, and nadaswaram), Sam Jeyasingham (mridangam, tabla, kanjira, thavil, and morsing), and Lalitha Ramamoorthy (dance).

Admission to the Peace Day concert is free.

For more information about the Peace Day Concert and other events please contact the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at 248-370-2030 or [email protected].

About "Peace Day"

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") is observed around the world each year on September 21. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution 36/37, the General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to "commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.