Venezuelans won the honor of being the happiest people in the world according to the Guinness World Records in 2008. Perhaps it's the music.
The South American nation has a rich tradition of music. This month, the Venezuelan Embassy will be showcasing the talents of flute virtuoso Marco Granados and the Un Mundo Ensemble as part of Venezuelan Cultural Week.
Ambassadors in their own right, the group of four will demonstrate the vibrant traditions of their home country and host workshops. They will kick things off at Tokyo University of the Arts by presenting a conference led by Un Mundo member and music professor Roberto Koch. He will also play the double bass with musical backing from the rest of the ensemble.
"People will experience a whole new dimension of South American music," says Maurice Reyna, cultural attache for the embassy. "Granados is sublime." Featuring four different Venezuelan musical traditions from four regions of the country, Reyna describes the ensemble's performance as "a geographical tour" via sound.
Marcos Grandos and the Un Mundo Ensemble will take part in a music conference at Tokyo University of the Arts on Nov. 5 (6 p.m.; [050] 5525-2742). The Un Mundo Ensemble will play various shows across Japan from Nov. 6-11. For details, visit www.venezuela.or.jp.