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Global Voices: Music “Over 8 days, in 5 different cities, Michael Miles interacted with over 2000 Moroccans through workshops and public events, most them young students who had never met an American. For those 2000 people Miles was the face of America. Musicians like Michael MIles are among the best Ambassadors that the United States can have.”
“We have read your email and we are thrilled by your ideas! We are ready to start planning together and sharing more ideas. Having students of different cultures in both your and our school will be a very important attribute. Maybe it will be a good idea to modulate a western piece into the oriental maqam, what do you think?” - Lara Molaeb, Music Teacher, Lebanon
This is accomplished through email exchanges, pre-recorded video exchanges and live Skype exchange as a culminating event. The students learn about the each others countries and have the truly exciting experience of musical exchanges with students of similar ages in countries and cultures thousands of miles away. No ability to speak each other’s languages is required to share music.
720 student participants, aged 7-18 23 teacher participants 3 countries: US, Morocco, Lebanon 3 Illinois cities: Chicago, Niles, Lincolnwood 2 cities outside US: Beirut, Casablanca Participating Schools and Organizations Passages Charter School, Chicago IL Murphy School, Chicago IL Niles North High School, Skokie IL Wellspring Learning Community, Beirut Riad School, Casablanca, Morocco American University in Beirut Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL More Information This is a not-for-profit organization. Please contact Michael Miles directly for more information about the music component of the Global Voices Initiative. |
Michael MIles with student performance in Beirut. Chicago students send greetings to Morocco Highlights of live Skype exchange between Niles North HS, near Chicago and Riad School in Morocco. Students from Murphy School in Chicago sing for their new friends in Morocco. |
About Michael J. Miles
• Musician
• Composer
• Performing Artist
• Musical Playwright
• Educator
When Pete Seeger first heard Michael Miles, he sent a letter to Michael saying that "in all my 70 years this is among the most beautiful recordings I’ve ever heard...it is enough to make me want to learn the banjo all over again.”
Michael Miles is one of America’s most inventive clawhammer banjo players. Add guitar, vocals, jazz instruments, orchestras and complex historically-themed theatrical presentations to the mix and, two decades later, Michael has a critically acclaimed catalog of original compositions, stage performances, music CD’s and music instruction books.
Michael Miles performance credits include the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Institution, Ravinia Festival, Harris Theatre in Chicago, American University in Beirut, and the Royal Opera Theatre in Marrakesh.
From 1984-1998, Michael served as the Program Director at the Old Town School of Folk Music bringing the school to international acclaim. Under his guidance the student population grew from 200 students to over 4000. From 2005-2007, Michael was honored as the school's first ever Artist-In-Residence. He remains as active member of the faculty teaching clawhammer banjo and fingerstyle guitar.
With an MA in Music Performance and Pedagogy, Michael is also a music educator whose work ranges from introducing kindergarten students to their earliest musical experiences to leading postgraduate study for professional musicians and music teachers.
Current projects include new fingerstyle guitar arrangements of the Great American Songbook and the works of Stevie Wonder; new compositions for the banjo and expanded ensemble; and new stage productions.
