OneBeat is a musical exchange initiative by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Now in its sixth year, the program provides innovative ways for musicians to engage, collaborate and dialogue with each other and their American peers.
OneBeat brings 25 musicians (ages 19-35) from around the world to the U.S. for one month each Fall to write, produce, and perform original music.
The program was created from the notion that musical collaboration is a powerful way to connect people across political and cultural barriers. During the program, participants get the opportunity to work with fellows from around the world to create original material, record new musical ideas and incubate projects that illustrates democratic values inherent to improvisational and collaborative music making. OneBeat employs collaborative original music as a new form of cultural diplomacy.
Here’s a great introduction video on the program or please visit www.1beat.org for more information.
Previous OneBeat fellows from Malaysia:
OneBeat 2015 Fellow | Ng Chor Guan, Composer and Theremin Player
OneBeat 2014 Fellow | Neil Chua, Ruan Player