46th Annual CalArts World Music and Dance Festival

Event Information

Date: May 1 - 3

Location: 

May 1 - 2: CalArts, 24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91605 

May 3: Newhall Family Theater, 24607 Walnut St, Santa Clarita, CA 91321

**CalArts shuttle services will be provided for May 3 performance, click below for more info!

• Registration/Seating

About World Music Festival

Travel the globe through sound with an electrifying lineup of musicians bringing international rhythm, culture, and groove to the stage! FREE admission, though tickets required for some performances. 

Click here for on-campus dining and coffee shop information.

Friday, May 1, 2026
7:15-7:45 pm	Pre-Concert Performance: Gamelan Gender Wayang	Roy O. Disney Theater (ROD) Foyer	Standing room only
8-10 pm	CalArts World Percussion Ensemble: The CalArts World Percussion Ensemble is an ongoing experimental forum for bringing together the percussion, drumming and world music traditions at CalArts. The ensemble bridges cultures and musical ideas, creating entirely new works for percussion consisting of both highly fixed compositions and extended improvisations. The World Percussion Ensemble was conceived in the early days of the institute and remains a platform for percussionists and world music students to explore the possibilities within the world of drumming.   Persia Electric Ensemble: Old wine in a new bottle.  Persia Electric is dedicated to redefining traditional artistic forms while preserving the essence of pure art. We transform classical composition through innovation and improvisation, creating contemporary expressions rooted in timeless foundations.	Roy O. Disney Theater (ROD)	Limited seating, advance registration recommended

Saturday, May 2, 2026
1-4 pm	Grupo Pagode CalArts, Indian Music Student Ensemble, Plenazo Tribe	Wild Beast	Unlimited outdoor grass and ampitheater setting. Hats and sunscreen recommended.
5-5:45 pm	Pre-Concert Performance: Djembe & Dunun Ensemble	Lund Foyer	Standing room only
6-7 pm	African Music & Dance Ensemble: The CalArts African Music and Dance Ensemble brings the vibrant rhythms, movement, and spirit of Ghana and West Africa to the stage in a dynamic and engaging performance. Through music and dance, students explore traditions from several cultural regions, including the Ewe of southeastern Ghana and Togo, the Fon of Benin, and the Dagomba of northern Ghana. Each tradition is expressed through its own distinct musical language, featuring indigenous instruments, intricate interlocking rhythms, and expressive vocal elements. These are brought together with rich styles of dance and movement that reflect the cultural identity, communal energy, and living traditions of each region.	Sharon Disney Lund Theater (Lund)	Limited seating, advance registration recommended
8-10 pm	Coyote Makes a World: As the central figure within Indigenous storytelling traditions of the Interior Northwest, Coyote navigates the tenuous and tumultuous present in Coyote Makes a World, an immersive, extramusical project between storyteller/vocalist čnaq’ymi (lone eagle) and The Forest, a cooperative percussion quartet. The Coyote stories, while drawn from long held Indigenous storytelling traditions, reflect the current crises of our times, including climate change, environmental pollution, and social media addiction. Set within a dynamic rhythmic landscape layered with songs and mesmerizing. For more info on their performance, click here.	Roy O. Disney Theater (ROD)	Limited seating, advance registration recommended

Sunday, May 3, 2026
7-8:45 pm	Balinese Gamelan “Burat Wangi”: Experience Bali right here in Newhall!  Balinese Gamelan is an ancient art tradition that has continuously inspired and amazed the world. Come to Newhall Family Theatre to experience a night of incredible Balinese music and dance. The show is led by legendary Indonesian artist couple Nyoman and Nanik Wenten and features their students at CalArts, as well as their professional performing group, Burat Wangi.    *In partnership with Raising the Curtain Foundation	Newhall Family Theater	Off campus performance,  advance registration  recommended

Concert Venues

• Wild Beast

  This is an outdoor theater with a grassy lawn. Blankets, lawn chairs, and picnics are permitted. The seating in this venue gets sunny.

  

• Sharon Disney Lund Theater

  This is an indoor theater with stairs and limited ADA seating. The seating in the Lund Theater has first-come-first-served seating for ticket holders. No food or drinks other than bottled water is permitted.

  

• Roy O. Disney Concert Hall

  The ROD Theater is an indoor venue with first-come-first-served seating for ticket holders. No food or drinks other than bottled water is permitted.

  

• Newhall Family Theater

  The Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts is a 500-seat theater, operated to introduce the youth and surrounding community to theatre experiences that educate, nurture, and inspire.

  

CalArts MAYhem!

The World Music and Dance Festival takes place as part of CalArts MAYhem on May 1-3! Over one whirlwind weekend, enjoy a program encompassing, the Artisan Pop-Up Market, School of Theater productions, and much more.

Visit the MAYhem website for the full list of events.