World Festival Of Sacred Music - the Americas

The World Festival of Sacred Music

The World Festival of Sacred Music (WFSM) - The Americas was a series of 80 events over a nine-day period in October 1999. The Festival idea was initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who sought to enter the new Millennium in a worldwide celebration of peace.

As a result of an outpouring of interest and enthusiasm from the public, the artists and the community partners alike, the organizers - UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance, Earthways Foundation and the Foundation for World Arts - committed to the creation of a Festival in 2002 and every three years thereafter. In September 2002, 2,000 artists performed in 42 sites across the city to an estimated audience of 30,000 people over a 16-day period.

This double CD set features a wide range of artists, from Balinese Gamelan to Native American Flute, and illustrates the heart of the festival as expressed by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama: "There is something in music that transcends and unites. This is evident in the sacred music of every community - music that expresses the universal yearning that is shared by people all over the globe."