There was harmony in the Shuká Hít.<\/p>\n
Artists from different backgrounds and their international, multicultural music mingled in the cedar clan house in Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building Saturday night for the Flutes From Around the World concert.<\/p>\n
“We are so happy to have everyone here,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. “We are so honored to have this first-ever concert here.”<\/p>\n
The event, which was a joint fundraiser for the Juneau Symphony and <\/a>SHI<\/a>, featured Tlingit flautist George Montero, Armenian flautist Tigran Arakelyan and Juneau flautists Reece Bleakley, Kathryn Kurtz and Ingrid White.<\/p>\n [Remembering the Alaska Native Literary Renaissance<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n Worl said she was glad to have Western music in the space designed to emulate the ancestral homes of Alaska Natives. She shared her recollection of first hearing classical music as an adult and purchasing as many cassette tapes of it as she could find.<\/p>\n “We here in Juneau can lead by example with what we’re doing tonight,” Worl said. “We can show the rest of the world that we can live in harmony.”<\/p>\n The multicultural unity and collaboration stood in stark contrast to a video of teens jeering a Native American man<\/a> that was gaining attention online over the weekend.<\/p>\n Worl said after the concert while she did not address it directly, the video was on her mind during her opening remarks.<\/p>\n “I was absolutely thinking about that,” Worl said “I really am proud of Juneau.”<\/p>\n The event began with a short performance by Montero, who carves and plays Native American flutes.<\/p>\n “Whether I have an audience of one or an audience of 3,000 it is a blessing,” Montero said. “I think anytime I go before anyone and play it’s huge. It’s sharing part of my heart.”<\/p>\n