T he percussion ensemble, Concert Choir and University Mixed Chorus will perform music from Cuba, Korea, Serbia and other countries at the Multi-Cultural Concert.

Each ensemble will perform separately and then will perform a song together at the end of the concert.

Janet McCumber, an adjunct instructor of music at Eastern, said the Concert Choir, directed by Sergei Pavlov, conductor of the concert choir and Eastern Symphony Orchestra, will be performing music from Korea, Africa and Cuba, as well as an American slave spiritual piece.

McCumber said the University Mixed Chorus, which she directs, will be performing music from Israel, Brazil and American black gospel and slave spirituals.

“Our Brazilian piece is entitled ‘Salmo 150 (Psalm 150)’ and is in Latin,” McCumber said. “It is a cappella and upbeat. The Israeli song, ‘Bashana Haba’ah,’ is in Hebrew and is a ballad. The slave spiritual is ‘Wade in the Water’ and features several soloists from the choir. Our gospel piece, ‘City Called Heaven,’ also features soloists from the choir.”

Jamie Ryan, the percussion instructor at Eastern, said the percussion ensemble will perform all Cuban pieces. He said the audience would recognize the music as dance music.

“As a novice listener, one may be confused and even frustrated by the density of sound, rhythm, and texture in this music,” Ryan said. “Focusing on any one of these characteristics will help guide the listener to an immediate and introductory understanding of Afro-Cuban music.”

Kyle Dombroski, a freshman psychology major, said he will play the chekere and the quinto at Friday’s concert.

“The chekere is a gourd with beads around it and the quinto is the smallest and highest pitched conga,” Dombroski said.

Dombroski said he likes the Afro-Cuban music Ryan has chosen because it has energy and he is interested in learning about other cultures and their music.

“I have learned the lyrics to many Afro-Cuban religious songs and I am now more familiarized with how the different percussion parts fit together,” Dombroski said.

McCumber said the biggest difference is that the percussion ensemble will perform between the choirs instead of playing all of their pieces of music at once.

She said she hopes her students have grasped an appreciation of the music and cultures being represented.

“They have been deluged with other languages -Hebrew, Latin, Spanish and Serbian-and have had to learn some other singing styles and performance styles for the Serbian and gospel tunes,” McCumber said. “It’s been a lot to learn, especially for the non-vocal majors, but they are doing a fantastic job.”

The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. today in the Doudna Fine Arts Center Dvorak Concert Hall.

Admission for the concert will be $5 general admission and $3 for students.

Kacie Berry can be reached at 581-2812 or klshreve@eiu.edu.