Many APA festivals encourage each group to come, perform their music or dance, and then leave. At this festival, groups will perform their own repertoire as usual, but they also have been asked to collaborate with a group from another APA culture.

For example, On July 1, Sikh music from India, a Burmese Buddhist monk ordination, Hindustani music and Chinese opera will be performed between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Then, from 2 to 3:30, the Sikh Americans and Burmese Americans share a ninety-minute block where they have been asked to perform Celebratory Music. Likewise, between 3:30 and 5 p.m.,the Hindustani and Chinese opera groups have been asked to show us “Story and Performance” for ninety minutes.

Will they collaborate on a joint piece? Will they each do short pieces and then explain to us why their “Celebratory Music” is different? Even we,the organizers, are curious to find out what will result. No matter what it is, it is sure to be entertaining and educational.

Phil Tajitsu Nash is the curator of the Asian Pacific Americans program at the 2010 Folklife Festival.