Musicians, dancers, and other artists from African, Jewish and Muslim diasporas join forces for a joyful sharing of their cultural traditions in Walk Together Children, an afternoon of music, dance, readings and visual art.

The concert – featuring songs of joy, longing, inspiration and humour in many languages – is headlined by Antiguan-born soprano Denise Williams, who has developed a following over two decades for the Black-and-Jewish versions of Walk Together Children she created as a way to bring together the two communities. These widely performed concerts were showcased most recently last fall in Stratford, and were the basis for her much lauded 2006 CD of the same title.

“We are tremendously excited to extend our scope this fall to Muslims and beyond,” she said. “As an artist, it moves me just as much to learn the music of other cultures as to present that of my own. And with this array of well known artists, we know it will be an exceptional performance!”

Joining Williams will be pianists Brahm Goldhamer and Nina Shapilsky, percussionists Sam Donkoh and Daniel Barnes, clarinetist Ben MacDonald, and youth singers from the Muslim community led by Salima Dhanani. Guests include tenor Mitch Smolkin, sitar player Anwar Khurshid (composer of music featured in the Oscar-winning film Life of Pi and Kama Sutra), tabla player Jaswinder Sraa, pianist Babak Naseri, and dancers Shakeil Rollock and Geneviève Beaulieu. M.C. is dub poet Clifton Joseph. Canada’s First Nations will also be represented, with singer/songwriter Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone opening the afternoon. A pop-up exhibition by Art Ignite will add a visual arts component.

The event dovetails with the Diamond Jubilee of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, and his aspiration for global pluralism: that the peoples of the world collaborate and learn from one another, and live together in peace.

Walk Together Children is presented by the Children of Abraham Collective under the aegis of No Strings Theatre in partnership with North York Arts (NYA). The Collective comprises soprano Denise Williams, educator Salima Dhanani, and arts publicist Linda Litwack.

Tax receiptable donations are welcome. Details on contributing are posted on the website.

For more information, visit http://www.denisewilliamssoprano.com/walk-together-children, or email walktogetherchildren2018@gmail.com.