Sounds of Healing

Genesis at the Crossroads’

WORLD PREMIERE

Amidst all the noise and pain,
we invite you to zoom in on healing
with our multicultural musical program

If you’re unable to donate at this time,
click here to register for free

”Healing comes from wholeness, so what are Its sounds? They are the sounds that emerge when we come to breathe and sing together in the spaciousness, resonance, and attunement of our shared humanity while listening with an open heart. Sounds of Healing modeled what we look and sound like when we invite the emergence of love to walk within and beside us.“

- Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Founding President and President Emerita Illinois Math Science Academy

Wall of Healing

“If this is about healing, I’m feeling better already.... This is the kind of language people should be using to bring peace and strength to this world.”

- Cantor Moshe Bear
Livestream Audience Member

“Wendy and Everyone thank you for showing our youth a possible world with hope"

- Victor Araque
Father, Sounds of Healing youth participant
Bogota, Colombia (Fled Venezuela's conflict)

“Amazing talent from all over the world...singing and playing in harmony... Breathe healing sounds together. It’s time to heal now.”

- KatyD
Livestream Audience Member
Sounds of Healing

“The production of this harmonious program is superbly done with people across the globe.”

- Robin
Livestream Audience Member
Sounds of Healing

#GenesisAtTheCrossroads

#AmplifySoundsOfHealing

#SaffronCaravan

Join us for our world premiere with musicians from Brazil, Venezuela, Morocco, Israel/Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Congo & more...

A virtual performance featuring Saffron Caravan, Genesis' professional world music ensemble with Genesis' youth musicians from Chicago and other conflict areas worldwide.

Guest Artists:
Chicago Blues Vocalist & Keyboardist
American Actor

A Global Collaboration of Saffron Caravan and Youth Musicians from Chicago and Other Conflict Areas Worldwide

For the very first time in our 20-year history, Saffron Caravan, Genesis’ professional world music ensemble made up of artists from cultures in conflict, will be joined by youth musician graduates from the last five years of our Genesis Academy Summer Institutes. The youth are from Chicago and many different areas of conflict. (DR Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Venezuela and more…)

All the students worked together virtually around the world to collaboratively compose four original songs for Sounds of Healing, one with Saffron Caravan. For the remainder of the program material, Saffron Caravan artists did the same.

Saffron Caravan

Genesis at the Crossroads’ professional world music ensemble unites artists from Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Morocco, India, Israel/Palestine, Brazil, Venezuela and the US for cross-cultural collaborative performances, music education and roundtables on music, healing and peacebuilding. This program features:

Badi Assad

Lebanese-Brazilian Vocalist and Guitarist

Aaron Bensoussan

Moroccan Vocalist

Haytham Safia

Israeli/Palestinian/Dutch Oud Player

Javier Saume Mazzei

Venezuelan Percussionist

Wendy Sternberg, MD

Founder, Executive/Artistic Director, Saffron Caravan, Sounds of Healing, Genesis at the Crossroads

Guest Artists:

Stacy Keach

Actor, USA

Katherine Davis

Chicago’s Own Blues Legend

Tony Milano

Keyboardist, Chicago

The Genesis Academy Summer Institute Graduates

A leadership and peacebuilding educational program for high school-aged youth from Chicago and other global areas of conflict. They live and learn together in four curricular areas: Heroes and Human Rights, Music and Peacebuilding, Environmental Sustainability, and Peace Journalism. With the arts thread throughout the program, students work to explore their individual voice, collective humanity, and the daunting issues we all face here in Chicago and as a global community.

Muhammad Faran

Pakistan

Victor Angel Araque Rangel

Venezuela / Colombia

Patrick Reponse

DR Congo / USA (Chicago)

Diego Madriz

Venezuela

Andrea Valentina Perez

Venezuela

Roheena Madni

Pakistan

Additional Student Performers:

Genesis Academy Summer Institute Graduates from 2015-2019

Ariba Qureshi

Pakistan

Veronica Urbina

Venezuela

Safiyah Simpkins

Chicago/USA

Mohadese Mirzaee

Afghanistan

Asa Mallon

Northern Ireland

Andreina Conde

Venezuela

Socheata Hong

Cambodia

Muhammad Atiq Khan

Pakistan

Reema Dhawan

Chicago/USA

Kristina Hinic

Bosnia

Inspired by the Poetry of:

We are honored to be able to use the lyrical poetry from these two acclaimed writers
for two original pieces in the Sounds of Healing repertoire.

Alberto Álvaro Ríos

Mexican-American Poet/Professor

“A House Called Tomorrow”

Read The lYRICS

Read Bio

Mark C. Johnson, PhD

American Poet/Global Peacebuilder

“Held in the Light”

Read The Lyrics

Read Bio

Original Sounds of Healing Lyrics

All the students worked together virtually around the world to collaboratively
compose four original songs for Sounds of Healing. Saffron Caravan artists did the same.

House of Healing

by Muhammad Faran

Read The Lyrics

Es Tiempo de Sanar

by Roheena Madni and Andrea Valentina Perez

Read The Lyrics

Mother

by Roheena Madni, Diego Madriz, and Andrea Valentina Perez

Read The Lyrics

Millions of Hearts

by Victor Angel Araque Rangel

Read The Lyrics

Does it Have to Be Quicksand?

By Wendy Sternberg, MD

Adapted and Arranged by Badi Assad

Does it Have to Be Quicksand lyrics coming soon

Read The Lyrics

READ THE OTHER LYRICS

Sounds of Healing Production Team

Carlinhos Antunes

Felippe Jr

Vitor Loureiro

Badi Assad

Wendy Sternberg, MD

Register for

Sounds of Healing

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online

(Link will be live through May 30th)

Los Angeles: 6 PM, NYC: 9 PM, Sao Paulo: 10 PM, London: 2AM, Beijing: 11AM

If you’re unable to donate at this time,
click here to register for free

Join people from around the world in this one-of-a-kind event

Sounds of Healing Roundtable – The Power of Music

Why do we turn to music to soothe ourselves in times of heartache, to ease our burdens and help heal our pain? Why does music enable us to find our center and feel joyous even when things are difficult? How can the arts and our own creativity help us become more resilient, manage protracted challenges, and transcend our circumstances? (These are core components of social and emotional learning for all ages.)

Join Saffron Caravan musicians, guest artists and Genesis Academy Summer Institute youth musicians from Chicago and around the world to explore the subject of healing more deeply in this live interactive discussion (facilitated by founder Dr. Wendy Sternberg.)

Format: Live Zoom call with 2-5 musicians & facilitator
Capacity: 10-20 participants
Duration: 90 minutes – 2 hours
Number: one or multi-segmented summer; semester or year-long programming
Participant pre-requisites: Experience Sounds of Healing virtual program (80 minutes)
Technology for participants to access Zoom

Total Cot: $5,000 USD/Roundtable
(We do ask your school/institution to contribute 20% of the total cost)

Programs can be further tailored to your needs upon request.

MAKE MORE HEALING SOUNDS!

Sounds of Healing Global Lyrics Competition

Enter your original song lyrics. Details coming soon.
Submission deadline: May 31, 2022

The top three entries will be turned into songs for a future performance

Help us bring more sounds of healing to the world

Register for
Sounds of Healing

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online

(Link will be live through May 30th)

Los Angeles: 6 PM, NYC: 9 PM, Sao Paulo: 10 PM, London: 2AM, Beijing: 11AM

If you’re unable to donate at this time,
click here to register for free

Genesis at the Crossroads builds peaceful communities at the intersection of social justice, education and the arts.

We envision a world where cross-cultural artistic expression and collaboration serve as a catalyst for interethnic dialogue and innovation, global understanding, healing and world peace. Our education and humanitarian initiatives sustain and further those bridges while nurturing global leadership. Together, we foster a just world for all, honoring our collective humanity.

Over the past 20 years we have created and produced over 150 performance, education and arts-based humanitarian peacebuilding programs.

Our future Genesis Peace Hub including a social entrepreneurship center, teaching farm, and sports and social change program will house all future Genesis peacebuilding programs.

We are a Chicago-based 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Learn more about us at www.gatc.org

Genesis at the Crossroads’

Sounds of Healing

Timeline

Sounds of Healing is a multi-year array of performances and interdisciplinary work focused on arts, trauma and healing. Components include musical performances, music and dance programs, multimedia and sculpture exhibits with musical installation accompaniment.

2000 - 2003

Signature Cross-cultural, Collaborative, Middle-Eastern/North-African Festivals & Peacebuilding Education Programs

2004 - 2007

Cross-cultural, Collaborative, Middle-Eastern/North-African Festivals & Peacebuilding Education Programs

Expansion to two-day outdoor festivals.

Original performance work tours across the US
Featured at the UN’s 60th Anniversary
Showcased at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC

2007 - Present

Saffron Caravan Tours the World

The Genesis World Music Ensemble is created and plays at Genesis’ HAMSA-Fest in Chicago, The Kennedy Center, The Rialto Theater, Casablanca, Morocco, Bosnia, throughout Israel/Palestine and the United States

DuSable Museum of African American History (Chicago), 2019
Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Forum on Global Cities, Adjunct Program, 2019
Featured at WBEZ/Chicago’s NPR Station’s 25th Anniversary, 2019

2015 - Present

Genesis Academy Summer Institutes

Dec. 19, 2020

World Premiere: Sounds of Healing (virtual concert)

Now accepting registrations and donations

April 2021 - Onwards

Sounds of Healing Replay & In-Person Tour

Join our newsletter to get notified if you can't attend in December. The live, in-person 2-4 year tour will follow when safe to do so in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Chicago, and other parts of Illinois and the US
India (starting at Gandhi’s birthplace)
South Africa
Rwanda
Ghana
UAE
Brazil
Parts of Europe
Other countries

2022

Genesis at the Crossroads’ Peace Hub Opens in Chicago

the sound of healing
is the sound of peace

If you’re unable to donate at this time,
click here to register for free

SPOTLIGHT

We cherish and honor specific individuals who have made a significant difference to forward
Genesis at the Crossroads’ work of building peaceful communities that foster healing.

For the flagship SPOTLIGHT, we have chosen to illuminate

Mark Brunner

Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on…

Read Bio

Mike Pettersen
SHURE

Wendy Sternberg, MD
Genesis at the Crossroads

Mark’s Family
Wife Jo Pangilinan & Sons Derek & Brandon

We appreciate the global support of the Gandhi King Foundation

Building Peaceful Communities at the
Intersection of Social Justice, Education and the Arts
Since 1999

Learn more at www.gatc.org

Website by We & Goliath
Solar system and design elements by Felippe Jr
Written and compiled by Wendy Sternberg, MD

ABOUT SAFFRON CARAVAN

The Essence of Arts Diplomacy™

Saffron Caravan, The Genesis World Music Ensemble unites professional musicians from Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Morocco, Israel/Palestine, India, Brazil, Venezuela and the United States to create new art and to perform together under the aegis of Genesis at the Crossroads. They demonstrate that the arts can be used to build sustainable bridges between cultures, made stronger through educational initiatives and collaborations with soloists, choirs and orchestras.

Their repertoire, spanning seven languages and multiple keys, explores both the sacred and mystical traditions in Arab, Jewish, Ladino and Persian music, infused with sub-Saharan roots of blues and jazz, spiced with Afro-Caribbean, South American and Southeast Asian rhythms.

Genesis at the Crossroads sustains the impact of Saffron Caravan’s performances through artist-in-residencies, interdisciplinary programs, music education, cross-cultural exchanges and humanitarian work.

Following their programs in Morocco and Israel/Palestine, Saffron Caravan had an array of performances and music education classes:

Srebrenica, Bosnia – 20th anniversary year of the genocide in the former Yugoslavia
Across the US in 2015-16, (including Chicago and DC)
University of San Diego’s Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Art of Peace global conference opening performance. Also included a roundtable on the role of arts in conflict transformation using Saffron Caravan as a case study. (2016)
On Chicago’s South side in 2017-2019 at Merit School of Music, Phillips Academy and Hyde Park’s Experimental Station, impacting over 500 students. Included an instrument drive with for Chicago’s at-risk south side and refugee youth
In Chicago, the 2018 world premiere of Journeys, showcased their interdisciplinary work with refugee youth dancers.
At DuSable Museum of African American History, (Smithsonian Museum in Chicago)
- Featured as part of WBEZ Worldview’s 25th Anniversary
As a Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Forum on Global Cities Adjunct Program.

Sounds of Healing Tour 2020-2023

Virtual programs: December 19, 2020 and April 2021 (Date TBA)

Live in-person performances in the pandemic’s aftermath in: India (Gandhi’s birthplace), US (Chicago, California, DC and Philadelphia), UAE, Brazil, Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa and parts of Europe, (UK, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands).

IN THE MEDIA

On WBEZ (Chicago’s NPR Station):

Global Notes: Genesis at the Crossroads’ Saffron Caravan

Saffron Caravan was also featured on WTTW TV Chicago Tonight to over 1 million:

Saffron Caravan Uses Music to Build Bridges Between Cultures

ABOUT SAFFRON CARAVAN

2011 International Freedom to Create Prize Nominees

“Sublime!”

Aaron Cohen, The Chicago Tribune

“…a flawless blend of musical styles from around the globe.”
Tim Receveur, US Department of State, USINFO
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC

“For members of the audience, what may have sounded strange and impossible mere hours before was happening before their eyes – a mix of old and new, East and West, musicians whose countries are at odds playing together and making beautiful music. It seemed like the most natural sound in the world.”
Rebecca Baskin, The Jerusalem Post

Prior to Saffron Caravan, Genesis at the Crossroads’ cross-cultural collaborations were showcased at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC and were featured at the United Nation’s 60th Anniversary celebrations in addition to other programs across the United States. Genesis made history creating and producing the first cross-cultural collaborative Middle Eastern – North African festival and grew it into the largest of its kind in the world. The late actor Harold Ramis served as an Emcee and the late Maggie Daley, Chicago’s First Lady served as the Honorary Chair of Genesis’ flagship outdoor festival, HAMSA Fest.

Read biographies of the full Saffron Caravan ensemble

Aaron Bensoussan

Born in the coastal city of Essaouira, Morocco, Aaron became the next generation of a revered Moroccan rabbinic dynasty. His Grandfather, Rabbi Haim David Bensoussan was the Chief Rabbi of Morocco and his Great Grandfather, one of the most revered rabbis to emerge from the city of Fez. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, the Bensoussan Family traces itself back to Rabbi Yehuda Bensoussan, a teacher of Maimonides. Aaron studied the art of Sephardic liturgical music with his Father and other masters of Moroccan music, all of which colors his expansive repertoire.

His interest in both Ashkenazic and cantorial music began when he relocated to New York at the age of 14 to study at a Yeshiva, a Jewish religious day school.A graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, he also studied at both Yeshiva University Belz School of Music and Queens College. He was fortunate to study with Master Cantors in both the Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions including, the late Moshe Ganchoff, the late David Koussevitzky, Noach Schall, Daniel Gildar, the late Sammy Amzallag and Avraham Ben Haim.

Aaron has performed in concerts and festivals all over the world, including the Jerusalem Theatre in Jerusalem, The Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv and Carnegie Hall in New York City.One of his most satisfying, creative endeavors has been composing music combining Ashkenazic and Sephardic elements with Middle Eastern Rhythms, Jazz, Flamenco and pop grooves to masterfully weave a culturally rich musical tapestry.

Encompassing these elements, his newly released CD, A New Journey, continues to receive rave reviews. His renowned composition, L’cha Dodi, included on the Putumayo World Music Series, A Jewish Odyssey, has been sung in synagogues all over the world; countless cantors and singers have requested permission to record his compositions on their albums. With many cantorial and pop recordings to his credit, Aaron’s repertoire includes his original compositions along with Judeo-Moroccan classics. The New York Times called his singing, “stout and impassioned.” For 25 years he served as Cantor for large prestigious congregations in both New York and Toronto. Aaron relinquished his professional cantorial role on the synagogue altar to devote himself to delivering his message for peace from a larger “platform” — that of the world stage.

Wendy Sternberg, MD

Founder & Artistic/Executive Director, Saffron Caravan and Sounds of Healing, Genesis at the Crossroads

As the founder and creative engine behind Genesis at the Crossroads, Wendy designed all programs to date and continues to oversee production and implementation of performance/artistic programs, education and humanitarian initiatives worldwide. She forged national/international partnerships with over 45 institutions and founded Saffron Caravan, Genesis’ professional world music ensemble uniting artists from Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Morocco, Israel, India, Brazil, Venezuela and the US for cross-cultural collaborative performance and educational programs.

Since 2011, Sternberg has created and produced a body of inquiry-based salon programs on the intersection of human rights, human development and the role of the arts to help shape and inform a humanistic society and transform conflict. One annual salon series focuses on women’s leadership. She masterminds the creative development/management of the current Genesis Academy Summer Institutes for international youth leaders from areas of conflict as well as the future Genesis Academy for Global Leadership and its surrounding Peace Hub. (Due to the pandemic, the Peace Hub’s Social Entrepreneurship Center will begin virtually in 2020 until the physical place-making of its Chicago’s South side campus comes to fruition.)

Affectionately called a Doctor without a Border, her prior 20+ year career as a primary care internal medicine physician informs the healing aspects at the heart of Genesis at the Crossroads. Under her leadership, Genesis boasts over 150 award-winning programs, internationally acclaimed by the UN, The Kennedy Center, Rotary, The King of Morocco, the British Council, the US Institute of Peace and the US Department of State. A Rotary Peace Fellow and a Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow, Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine featured her as a Woman to Watch. She was named one of the 10 Jewish Chicagoans of the Year and was a 2011 Charles Bronfman Prize Nominee. Sternberg is a member of the Chicago Chapter of the Woods Fund – Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing, Transformation Task Force. On the celebratory occasion of the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, Sternberg was deeply honored to be chosen as the closing speaker, following the remarks of Gandhi’s Granddaughter, Nelson Mandela’s Daughter and Cesar Chavez’s Grandson at the Gandhi 150: A Legacy of Peace 2019 program in Chicago. She recently gave a keynote for the Gandhi King Foundation’s August 2020 virtual peace program in India at the University of Hyderabad.

In the face of the pandemic, she retooled Genesis’ 2006 Art of Healing initiative into a cross-cultural collaborative health and wellness program with a focus on arts, trauma and healing. It features multiple virtual and in-person programs over the next few years (Sounds of Healing). Among other written work, publications include: For the Sake of Humanity; Research on Cross-Cultural Collaborative Arts for Public Health, Chapter in The Oxford Handbook of Methods for Public Scholarship, Oxford Press (2018).

Sternberg graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in French Literature. She received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine with field work in public health in Chennai, India. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Chicago.

Katherine Davis

Jazz and Blues Singer, Songwriter, Actress and Educator

Katherine Davis’ life as a singer, songwriter, actress, and teacher is imbued with music. Whether she is portraying Bessie Smith or Ma Rainey on stage, appearing with piano accompaniment at a nightclub, fronting a large band, or singing for the Lord, Katherine steers her own course. Her command of various musical styles is saturated in blue. Katherine’s unique musical approach was nurtured from within by her circle of family and close friends.

Her Mother was from a family of jazz performers and opera singers. She loved to sing and wanted to be a professional vocalist, though she dedicated her life to her family. Katherine remembers hearing her Mother’s side of the family recount the stories of her Grandfather, Earl Campbell, performing with legends Louis Armstrong and Count Basie. Katherine’s father’s side of the family threw house parties all the time, during which the children were the only live performers. If a child sang or danced, family and friends would throw money at his or her feet. She was raised on the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Brook Benton, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, and Arethra Franklin. Katherine was also exposed to and inspired by the opera singers in her family.

She studied opera at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music under the direction of Maria D’ Albert. In studying opera, Katherine was laying the groundwork for her repertoire’s singular and all-encompassing musical style and diversity. Raised in Chicago’s infamous Cabrini-Green housing project on Chicago’s North side, Katherine and her family moved to the Englewood on Chicago’s South side in 1967. The move proved a good one for Katherine, as it provided exposure to an array of jazz and blues clubs. Within the jazz scene, there was a subscene wherein singers and musicians would perform for stage productions. A friend suggested that she audition for an acting part in a play produced by Kuumba Theatre for which Katherine was cast. She went on to play Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to critical acclaim in Kuumba Theatre’s production of In the Heart of the Blues, garnering the attention of luminaries who advanced her career. She was soon singing in jazz and blues clubs, festivals and concerts throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe, the Caribbean and Venezuela. Her appearance with the Blues in the Schools children at the 1997 Chicago Blues Festival led to ongoing involvement as an instructor in the Blues in the Schools Program right alongside harmonica virtuoso, Billy Branch.

Within the course of an evening, Katherine’s voice can span the gamut from sweet and sultry to lowdown and dirty. She can phrase like Billie Holiday, scat like Ella, and growl like Howlin’ Wolf. Katherine is accompanied throughout Dream Shoes, her first CD (Chicago’s Southport Records) by some of Chicago’s top jazz and blues musicians, such as piano players Erwin HeIfer and Joe Johnson, bassists Nate Stuart, Tatsu Aoki, John Whitfield and Cecile Savage, saxophonist Will Sims, and Isaac Redd Holt, Phil Thomas and Casey Jones on drums. John Barrett of Jazz USA wrote of the CD: “While apparently simple, this album speaks volumes – that’s true of the best music, and the best dreams.” Noted Chicago Tribune critic Dan Kening added, “If there’s any justice in this world, the delicious melange of vintage blues and jazz on Dream Shoes will raise the profile of veteran Chicago singer Katherine Davis as a recording artist.”

Katherine continues to perform at clubs and concert venues at home in Chicago, and around the world. In January 2000, she was chosen to accompany Mayor Richard J. Daley to help represent the City of Chicago at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She performed there at the diplomatic reception. In the late 1980s her visage was immortalized on a 16-foot tall billboard that adorns the corner of Ohio and Orleans recognizing her contributions. Mayor Lightfoot recently bestowed upon her the 2020 Chicago Esteemed Artist Award.

Muhammad Faran

Born and raised in Pakistan, Faran is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Computer Technology from Bilkent University in Turkey. While he focuses on his undergraduate studies, he also enjoys exploring Turkey and its beautiful culture, adding to his diverse experiences growing up in different Pakistani cities, eventually spending his teenage years in Peshawar, the “City of Flowers.” Before his very own eyes, he has seen the “City of Flowers” become the city of bombs and terror.

Faran deeply associates the City of Chicago with his own personal development, having spent a year there from 2014-15 as an exchange student/ambassador with the US Department of State Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange Program. His fondness for the city grew even more when he attended the 2016 Genesis Academy Summer Institute and left inspired, moved, and motivated, all thanks to what he believed was an experience of a lifetime. In Chicago, at the Genesis Academy Summer Institute, he learned that much can be done to reclaim peace and to unite diverse people. He learned that artistic, and particularly musical appeal can have tremendous power in bringing people together.

While he soars through his life and lives every experience to the fullest, he always thinks of achieving peace and solidarity while fostering feelings of community. While he familiarizes himself with new technologies, he continues to dabble in music, including the rabab, a string instrument native to Afghanistan, Turkey and other neighboring countries. Like many others, Faran recognizes the seeds of peace within him, ready to be sown, ready to bloom.

Dieoge Madriz

Currently a student of Economics at the Central University of Venezuela, Diego has dedicated himself to defending human rights and promoting a culture of peace in Caracas’ diverse communities by leveraging the power of both the arts and education.

In the capacity of volunteer, Diego has been involved with several different NGO’s in Venezuela. In 2018, for Friends of the Child Foundation that Deserve Protection (FUNDANA), he taught child victims of abandonment, neglect and abuse, including sexual abuse. in 2019, with the NGO Opportunity (Oportunidad A.C.), he was part of multiple theatrical productions primarily targeting the low-income Venezuelan “barrios” population to help raise their awareness of the processes of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Since the beginning of his university studies, Diego has participated in several extra-curricular activities which advocate for the defense of student rights, motivating students to go beyond their comfort zone and achieve personal growth. His own varied roles this year have included: Delegate to the Model United Nations UCVWorldMUN, Social Media Secretary for GeneraciónUCVista, and Active Member of Gestión Economía UCV, the latter two being the most important student associations at the Central University of Venezuela.

His participation in the 2018 Genesis Academy Summer Institute was one of the most meaningful experiences of his life. Even though his dedication to make the world a better place began when he was just a young child, the Summer Institute gave him agency and helped him clarify his particular focus areas: namely human rights and peacebuilding. During the Summer Institute, Diego was featured on 91.5 FM WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR station to discuss his role in Genesis’ program. His collaborative peace journalism blog from the Genesis Academy Summer Institute examining the issues affecting Chicago’s homeless was published on the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting’s website to the world. In addition, Diego’s confidence grew exponentially from the program, such that he found the courage and inspiration needed to begin working and become more involved in his home communities. He came to profoundly understand that his age did not have to be an impediment to his global contributions as a youth activist. Wherever he is and whatever he does, Diego always hears and responds to Mahatma Gandhi’s imperative: Be the change you want to see in the world.

Carlinhos Antunes

Sounds of Healing Musical Arrangement

Carlinhos Antunes, a musician of national and international repute, graduated from the São Caetano Arts Foundation. He also holds a degree in music history from Pontificia Universidade Catolica – Sao Paulo. He plays guitar, viola, tiple, charango, quatro, kora n’goni, saz, and varied percussion instruments. An ethnomusicologist by nature, his travels allow him to research sounds from different parts of the world, (including Brazil,) to incorporate them in his diverse musical ventures.

He has published over 25 works for CD, DVD, and documentary film. He is the director of the 15-year old Mundana Orchestra, which in 2017, rebranded as the Mundana Refugi Orchestra showcasing 22 musicians from Brazil and various parts of the world from the Refugi Project. Comprised of musicians from Iran, Palestine, Syria, DR Congo, China, Cuba, France, Guinea, Tunisia, and Turkey, their 2017 CD recording was released by the SESC label.

Working in the capacity of solo artist, ensemble member and festival participant, Antunes has visited over 45 countries including Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba, France, England, Scotland, Wales, Holland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Spain (where he lived for five years), Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Morocco, Burkina Faso, and Suriname. In São Paulo, he performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls including Sala São Paulo, Espaço das Américas, Tom Brasil, Ibirapuera Auditorium, SESC Pompéia, and Teatro Municipal. In 2008, he returned to Burkina Faso to perform at the Kuitsougou Nuits Atypiques Festival and present his documentary. In 2010, he participated in Scotland’s Celtic Connections where he received 5-star reviews from several local newspapers, TV outlets and BBC Radio. As a musician, he continues to regularly tour Brazil and other parts of Latin America, Europe, and Africa.

He has served as Secretary of Culture of the Municipality of Diadema (1982), Coordinator of the Adoniram Barbosa Project (1996-97), Cultural Advisor of the Campinas Metalworkers Union (1987-89), Creator and Artistic Director of the TERSARAU Projects, ENCONTRO É TEMPO, SANFONIA DA METRÓPOLE, Festa Lorca, Latinidades, Orquestra Mediterranêa, São Paulo dos Peoples, Director of MUSICAMP (Assoc. Musicians of Campinas)(1989) and professor of music and Brazilian culture.

In his prolific 41-year career, he has acted and recorded with some of the greats from Brazil and abroad who include: Tom Zé, Fátima Guedes, Filó Machado, Grupo Tarancón, Badi Assad from Brazil, Susana Baca from Peru, Carlos Nuñes and Canisares from Spain, Paul Winter from USA, Mahala Räi Band and Ionel Manole Trio (Taraf de Haidouks) from Romania, Isabel Parra and Tita Parra from Chile, Caracas Son Siete from Venezuela, Samir and Wissan Jubran from Palestine, Antonio Chainho from Portugal, Siwan Perver from Kurdistan, Group 4SHURE from Holland, Pascal Lefeuvre from France, Petros Tabourius from Greece, Xabi Lozano from Spain, Tenors of Bitti from Italy, Bilja Bistri from Serbia, Djiguiya from Burkina Faso, Chris Stout from Scotland, among many other artists.

CDs, DVDs and Documentaries recorded in Brazil and abroad:

CD Caravan Refugi Selo Circus, 2019

CD Orquestra Mundana Refugi- live Selo SESC, 2018

CD Kerlaveo, Dec. 2017

Violet Terna Y Eterna, 2016

About All Strings, Sept. 2014

Violeta Terna and Eterna, Oct. 2014

Muvuca (Daqui-France seal), 011/2012

Live in Glasgow (Scotland), 2011/2012

Ópera das Pedras, (Brazil Sesc Stamp) with Badi Assad, Naná Vasconcelos et al, 2011

Original Quartet – Antunes, Rohrer, Barossi, Stout (Scotland-Brazil), 2010

Carlinhos Antunes and Pascal Lefeuvre Duo (France-Brazil), 2006

Atlantic Trio (France-unpublished), 2007

Mundana Orchestra live (Brasil-Tratore), 2006

Live Mediterranean Orchestra (Brazil-Sesc Stamp), 2006

Mundano (Brasil-Lua Music), 2003

Landscape Ballerina (Brasil-Lua Music), 1996 and 2002

Samambaia, (Spain) Dodo Records, 1992

Mama Hue-Grupo Taráncon, (musician and arranger), Continental label, 1987

DVDs and Documentaries:

DOC. Orquestra Mundana Refugi – SESC TV, November 2017

Carlinhos Antunes and Orquestra Mundana, live on Aud. Ibirapuera, 2010;

Barka-Documentário, (Explored music and education in Africa, SESC TV) 2010

Seven days in Burkina, (music and education in Africa,) SESCTV, 2008

Orquestra Mediterrânea, SESC label, 2006

Índios Kalapalo, SESC label soundtrack with Sergio Bartolo, 2006

Books:

Songs of Rain, Earth, and Desire, Pialc-Publishing, 2019

Without Borders – six booklets on music of the world

Numerous texts on history and music, 1985-1987

Felippe Jr

Sounds of Healing Visual Arts Producer and Director

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Felippe Jr. started working when he was 14 years old at Editora Abril, the largest publishing house, renowned for the country’s best graphic design. There, he took several courses in printing, color study, layout, final art and graphic design. During his 10 years devoted to Editora Abril, Felippe worked on various segments of several magazines, including five years at Revista Nova, the best magazine serving a predominantly female readership.

At the age of 24, he participated in the editing of Editora Globo, of Grupo Globo de Televisão, Brazil’s largest national TV network. At the age of 25 he became the Art Editor for Editora’s fashion magazines, participating in all of its special projects. Three years later, he transferred to TV-A, Grupo Abril’s subscription TV, creating the magazine’s second graphic project targeted for subscribers to ultimately lead the project with Gráfica to create Brazil’s first fully digitalized magazine. At 33 years of age, he returned to Editora Globo to lead the service magazine project, Ponto & Arte. The year following, he opened his own studio, Duo Artes Gráficas, making a series of magazines for target markets, including numerous medical and psychology magazines, among them, Editora Pinus and others.

Numerous other projects included graphic design for the magazines Polo, Golf and Yacht, all niched for the luxury market. His iconic design work has been featured in the decorative arts sections of multiple architectural exhibitions. In markets abroad in Argentina, he implemented Revista Gênios Brasil for children. He also crafted the Museum of Art in São Paulo’s visual communication for several major exhibitions, including Sigmar Polke, Lucian Freud, Foreign Papers and others. For Fapesp Magazine, he masterminded creative visual communications and executed notorious performances for gastro-perfomance artist, Simone Mattar. In 2020, he has dedicated a great deal of his creative energy producing and managing all visual communications including online and video content for Brazil’s legendary musician, Badi Assad.

Vitor Loureiro

Sounds of Healing Sound Engineer,
Caverno do Audio

Born in São Paulo in 1992, Vitor Loureiro began electric guitar lessons in his early childhood and some years later, borrowed an old electric bass from his Father and became self-taught. His studies in classical guitar at Faculdade Santa Marcelina University furthered his passion and greatly influenced both his musicality and technique. He was already completely involved with music when he fell in love with sound engineering.

In 2012, Vitor began working at the music studio, Estúdio Arsis as a freelancer assistant recording engineer. It was there that he had the opportunity to work on Grammy-nominated “Festa na Roça” (Toninho Ferragutti and Neymar Dias). He worked on sound engineering for the Oratorio Society of NY at Auditório do Ibirapuera recording, and at numerous other venues.

As an international performer, Loureiro played with Ulisses Rocha in many renowned Brazilian festivals, including Ilhabela in Jazz and Festival do Vale do Café, sharing the stage with masters of Brazilian and international music, including Grammy Award-winning drummer, Edu Ribeiro. In the United States, he played bass with MPB and Brazilian Jazz groups, while exploring new styles with a diverse array of bands from pop to experimental rap. Vitor participated in the Brazilian Music Institute in Fort Lauderdale, a renowned event organized by faculty of the University of Florida.

Upon his return to Brazil, Loureiro joined veteran musicians Ivan Vilela, Raiff Dantas, Ulisses Rocha and Walmir Gil in their singular quintet project, “O Quinteto” playing bass. He also mixed and mastered their eponymous album.

In 2018, Loureiro had the privilege of attending an internship at Galaxy Studios in Belgium, one of the most important music and audio post-production studios in Europe and the world, where legendary artists like the Scorpions recorded. There, in the capacities of assistant recording engineer, soundtrack composer, assistant sound designer, EBU standardizer, and assistant quality control check he had the opportunity to work on large international projects including: “London Fields” (Johnny Depp),” “Gent West” (Jeroen Dumoulein), “First Man” (Ryan Gosling), and “Elvy Wereld’s: So Ibiza!” (Erwin van den Eshof). That same year, Vitor mixed the all-star, historic, acoustic guitar album, “Violab”, that features some of the most respected acoustic Brazilian guitar players in duos and trios as never seen before. Chico Pinheiro, Yamandu Costa, Alessandro Penezzi, Ulisses Rocha, Marco Pereira and Badi Assad were some of the musicians involved in the project.

Last year, Loureiro recorded, mixed and mastered most of the songs of the debut album “Narrativas de um Brasil” by prodigy, Arthur Endo, the winner of IMAGINE Brazil. He also worked on the debut albums “Olhares, idéias e sons” (Gabriel Maron) and “Dois Na Praça” (Pedro Matsuda).Vitor continued working as a bassist while mixing and master engineering the tribute album, “Um Tributo a José Domingos”, which features popular and illustrious Brazilian singers including Monica Salmaso, Badi Assad, Vinicius Calderoni and others. Currently, Loureiro devotes his time and energy to many areas of music, merging sonic and musical concepts.

Genesis at the Crossroads’

Sounds of Healing

WORLD PREMIERE

- Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall Founding President and President Emerita Illinois Math Science Academy

Wall of Healing

- Cantor Moshe Bear Livestream Audience Member

- Victor Araque Father, Sounds of Healing youth participant Bogota, Colombia (Fled Venezuela's conflict)

- KatyD Livestream Audience Member Sounds of Healing

- Robin Livestream Audience Member Sounds of Healing

#GenesisAtTheCrossroads

#AmplifySoundsOfHealing

#SaffronCaravan

A Global Collaboration of Saffron Caravan and Youth Musicians from Chicago and Other Conflict Areas Worldwide

Saffron Caravan

Badi Assad

Aaron Bensoussan

Haytham Safia

Javier Saume Mazzei

Wendy Sternberg, MD

Guest Artists:

Stacy Keach

Katherine Davis

Tony Milano

The Genesis Academy Summer Institute Graduates

Muhammad Faran

Victor Angel Araque Rangel

Patrick Reponse

Diego Madriz

Andrea Valentina Perez

Roheena Madni

Additional Student Performers:

Ariba Qureshi

Veronica Urbina

Safiyah Simpkins

Mohadese Mirzaee

Asa Mallon

Andreina Conde

Socheata Hong

Muhammad Atiq Khan

Reema Dhawan

Kristina Hinic

Inspired by the Poetry of:

Alberto Álvaro Ríos​

Mexican-American Poet/Professor

Mark C. Johnson, PhD

American Poet/Global Peacebuilder

Read Bio

Original Sounds of Healing Lyrics ​

House of Healing

Read The Lyrics

Es Tiempo de Sanar

Read The Lyrics

Mother

Read The Lyrics

Millions of Hearts

Does it Have to Be Quicksand?

Read The Lyrics

READ THE OTHER LYRICS

Sounds of Healing Production Team

Carlinhos Antunes

Felippe Jr

Vitor Loureiro

Badi Assad

Wendy Sternberg, MD

Register for

Sounds of Healing

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online (Link will be live through May 30th)

Join people from around the world in this one-of-a-kind event

Sounds of Healing Roundtable – The Power of Music

Sounds of Healing Global Lyrics Competition

Help us bring more sounds of healing to the world

Register for Sounds of Healing

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online (Link will be live through May 30th)

Genesis at the Crossroads builds peaceful communities at the intersection of social justice, education and the arts.

Genesis at the Crossroads’

Sounds of Healing

Timeline

the sound of healing is the sound of peace

SPOTLIGHT

Mark Brunner

- Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Founding President and President Emerita Illinois Math Science Academy

- Cantor Moshe Bear
Livestream Audience Member

- Victor Araque
Father, Sounds of Healing youth participant
Bogota, Colombia (Fled Venezuela's conflict)

- KatyD
Livestream Audience Member
Sounds of Healing

- Robin
Livestream Audience Member
Sounds of Healing

Alberto Álvaro Ríos

Original Sounds of Healing Lyrics

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online

(Link will be live through May 30th)

Register for
Sounds of Healing

May 22, 2021 – 8 PM CST (GMT-6), Online

(Link will be live through May 30th)

the sound of healing
is the sound of peace

Register for
SOUNDS OF HEALING

91.5 FM WBEZ - Chicago’s NPR Station

Alberto Álvaro Ríos