Texas A&M University and the city of College Station are setting aside a day to celebrate international diversity, but one need only stroll around College Station, Bryan, A&M, Blinn College or any of our public or private school campuses to see that every day our cultural diversity proudly shines.
Bringing it all together is the purpose of Brazos Valley Worldfest, set for Saturday at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater in College Station.
It's the third annual gathering of displays, demonstrations, cuisines, performances, crafts, competitions and much more, all with the purpose of bustin' our buttons for being a small community with a big vision of international friendship.
The first two events were staged in downtown Bryan, drawing some 3,000 the first year and double that in 2008. Kim Fox, with the help of 200 or so volunteers, has coordinated the festival all three years.
"It's a whole day's worth of entertainment," Fox said. "This year, we are expecting at least as many as we had last year, especially if the weather cooperates. It will go on rain or shine."
Brazos Valley Worldfest will run Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., fitting an ambitious schedule of events into seven hours. They'll use three different stages to present some 25 shows.
The World Stage (the main amphitheater stage) the Community Stage (near Holleman Drive) and the Heritage Stage (near the top of the hill across from the amphitheater) will be graced with such offerings as the Lil Wranglers, the Osessi Dance Group, the Brazos Raks Ensemble, Rattletree Marimba, Ballet Folklorico from Ben Milan Elementary School, the Burleson County Czech Dancers, the African Student Association, Flamenco Andaluz, Jalepeño Honey, Laya Dance Group and more.
La Bodega will sponsor a habanera shrimp taco-eating contest, and there will be an African Safari Program as well as performances by the Bangladesh Student Association and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Belly Dancing Association (betcha didn't know we had one of those!).
At the heart of Brazos Valley Worldfest is international awareness and that's where the event's education program takes center stage.
As organizers point out, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, people are still separated by walls and fences and misconceptions. Saturday is the chance to use the Brazos Valley's little piece of the planet to educate each nationality about the others.
Education projects in five competition categories, from pre-K to adult, will be on display at the Brazos Valley Arts Council Building near Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. The winners will be announced at 11 a.m. Saturday, Fox said, and the winning projects will be on display through Dec. 20 at the Arts Council.
The Kids Village will be near the Heritage Stage and will feature the taco-eating contest along with the Texas Camel Corps Bedouin Camp, Tag Your Tot and the Arts and Crafts Tent sponsored by Confucius Institute and the Junior League of Bryan-College Station.
About 45 groups are participating -- including just about every international association from Texas A&M -- at the Global Village, which will include vendors with items from around the world. That's where the food will be.
Admission is free with the only cost being for food and vendor purchases. The parking lots at Post Oak Mall will be available.
Brazos Valley Worldfest has a detailed Web site, at brazosvalleyworldfest.org, outlining everything that this magnificent day will offer to every resident of every age.
Verdi's 'Requiem'
Rudder Auditorium is the place for today's 5 p.m. concert by the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Brazos Valley Chorale, Texas A&M Century Singers and four guest artists as they perform Verdi's Requiem.
Led by Chorale director Jess Wade, this concert will bring to the stage College Station's own Metropolitan Opera veteran soprano Emily Pulley, along with mezzo-soprano Cindy Sadler, tenor Daniel Snyder and bass Matthew Arnold.
"Giuseppe Verdi is one of the greatest Opera composers of all time," Wade said. "But this Requiem, or Mass for the Dead, was especially important to him because he wrote it to commemorate the life of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist whom Verdi greatly revered. It has all the musical genius of the theatrical Verdi combined with the awe and mysticism surrounding a requiem.
"It has come to be listed among the top 10 choral/ orchestra works ever written, yet it is popular and familiar enough to be used in a great many movie scores and advertisements."
Wade says the most famous part of the Verdi Requiem is the "Dies irae."
"Audience members will recognize it immediately, if not from the Requiem specifically, then from their favorite scary movies," he said "But there are many beautiful sections as well, such as the 'Agnus Dei' and 'Lacrymosa.' Another important part about the 'Dies irae' is the use of off-stage trumpets, which create an incredible affect."
Speaking of the four guest soloists, Wade says they get to show their individual talents.
"There are many ensemble sections where they get to work together to make great music. Plus, I get to work with the marvelous Emily Pulley again -- always worth the price of any concert."
Individual tickets ($30 adult, $10 student/child) for all subscription concerts can be purchased in person at the MSC Box Office in the Rudder Auditorium lobby, by phone 979-845-1234, or online at http://boxoffice.tamu.edu.
Save the date
* Sunday: International Festival Institute at Round Top presents 12th Annual Theatre Forum, Tararaboomdere! (festivalhill.org, 979-249-3129)
* Monday-Nov. 30: Arts Council of Brazos Valley presents the Holiday Artisan Bazaar, Texas Gallery (696-2787, acbv.org)
* Wednesday-Jan. 31: Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History presents "From Earth to the Universe" (brazosvalleymuseum.org, 776-2195)
* Thursday: Friends of Chamber Music presents Poulenc Trio, First Presbyterian Church of Bryan, 7:30 p.m. (www.community chambersconcert.org)
* Saturday: Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators presents its Annual Connections and Craft Conference, 8:30 a.m., A&M United Methodist Church (scbwi-brazosvalley.org)
* Saturday: Congregation Beth Shalom presents its Fine Art Auction and Exhibition, Art for Everyone event, Best Western Atrea at Old Town Center, 1920 Austin's Colony Parkway in Bryan, 6:30 p.m. (690-1036)
* Nov. 15: Brazos Valley Flute Choir presents its Premiere Concert, 3 p.m., A&M United Methodist Church, free (696-7607)
* Nov. 17-19: MSC OPAS presents Riverdance -- Farewell Tour, 7:30 p.m. (845-1234, mscopas.com)
* Dec. 4-6: Navasota Theatre Alliance presents The Baddest Angel Band (936-825-3195, navasotatheatre.com)
* Dec. 10: Navasota Theatre Alliance presents its Annual Membership Drive Christmas Gala (navasotatheatre.com, 936-825-3195)
* Tom Turbiville is The Eagle's arts columnist. He's also sports director for WTAW-1620AM Radio. E-mail him at tom.turbiville@ theeagle.com.
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