Pan-Asian Music, Dance & Storytelling in the Forest Preserves

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month with a unique outdoor cultural experience in the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Pan-Asian artists will come together for a special performance that brings music, dance, and storytelling into the natural landscape.

Musicians representing South Asian, East Asian, and Southeast Asian traditions will perform in a collaborative set that blends diverse cultural sounds and styles. Inspired by personal reflections on nature collected through interviews by the Mandala team, the performance shares stories about memory, land, and community.

Southeast Asian dancers will also lead an interactive dance workshop, inviting audience members to learn simple movements and participate in the experience. No dance experience is needed, and everyone is welcome to join.

Set within the beauty of the forest preserves, this free event offers a chance to enjoy live music, explore Asian cultural traditions, and connect with nature and community in an immersive and welcoming environment.

Pan-Asian Music: 

Tzu Tsen Wu – Plucked Instruments (East Asia)

Bob Garrett – Percussion & Multi-Instrumentalist (Central Asia/Contemporary)

Saraswathi Ranganathan – Veena (South Asian)

Habib – Sarod (South Asian)

Interactive Dance Workshop:

Pak Ngurah Ensemble: Balinese Dance (Southeast Asia)

Artist Lineup & Bios:

Tzu Tsen Wu: Taiwanese musician specializing in zhongruan and liuqin, also playing ukulele, guitar, piano, banjo, and jakhee. Performs internationally and teaches while pursuing a master’s in World Music at Northern Illinois University.

Bob Garrett: Chicago-based musician and composer with extensive experience in theater, dance, and international music collaborations. Performed in Hamilton (Chicago), Sting’s The Last Ship, and The Lion King national tour. Co-founder of Posterchild Art.

Saraswathi Ranganathan: Chicago-based Carnatic veena artist and cross-cultural collaborator. Chicago Music Award winner who has performed with Disney’s Jungle Book and received Logan Foundation support. Over three decades of performing and teaching.

Habib: More information coming soon!