Grammy-Award Winning American Music Abroad Trio Captivate Malaysian Audience (January 12-15)

Performer Barbara Lamb shows some pointers on her fiddle and violin. (U.S. Embassy photo)

Ambassador Jones meets with the trio and members of AkashA backstage. (U.S. Embassy photo)

The American Music Abroad folk ensemble of Grammy Award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Barbara Lamb, in conjunction with Malaysia’s leading fusion band AkashA, entertained an audience of more than 1,000 people at two concerts in Selangor, Malaysia.  Ambassador Paul Jones, key Malaysian contacts, U.S. exchange program alumni and the recently arrived Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) were among the many music lovers who attended the event.  For the first time in Malaysia, under the umbrella of American Music Abroad, the audience grooved to original American bluegrass sounds and fusion sounds by AkashA.  Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer with Barbara Lamb and AkashA’s performance drew a standing ovation each night from the audience.  Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer and Barbara Lamb also conducted a master class for more than 50 youth on American music and took time to coach several enthusiastic participants on the use of the fiddle.

American Music Abroad builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smartpower” diplomacy, which embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools – in this case music to bring people together and foster greater understanding. It also builds on the historic legacy of the Department of State’s Jazz Ambassadors, who first traveled the world in the 1950s to connect with people through music.

The Department of State and the Association of American Voices create a series of month-long, multi-country exchange programs. During the exchange, 10-12 ensembles representing American music will conduct public concerts, interactive performances with local musicians, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and jam sessions with diverse audiences.