May 2008 ~

Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth, director of the World Meditation Ensemble, announced in April that the WME attained the ranking of #17 Artist on Rhapsody's list of World Fusion Artists, which includes all international artists.

That position is well ahead of groups that have existed far longer, such as Oregon, at #25, Zakir Hussein, at #27, and the Paul Winter Consort, at #34.

"This was great news," said Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth (RVW), director of the ensemble. "It gives us renewed energy to focus on our third CD.  We did exceptionally well all last year in downloads around the world, and this current ranking of #17 shows us clearly that the WME is appreciated and its music is sought after.  We are able to track that our music is downloaded and listened to all over the world, from Germany to Japan."

Please visit the Website of the World Meditation Ensemble
at www.worldmeditationensemble.com for more information
about its music and history.

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World Meditation Ensemble Presents
Workshop and Performance in the
15th Annual World Rhythm Festival

Sponsored by the Seattle World Percussion Society, the 15th Annual World Rhythm Festival took place at Seattle Center the weekend of April 25-27, 2008.  An amazing array of vendors, workshops in percussion and music from around the world, dance performances and concerts drew crowds in the thousands, on an unusually beautiful, sunny weekend in Seattle. 

Richard Vanceunebrouck-Werth (RVW) and members of the World Meditation Ensemble presented Sacred World Music Rhythms, an hour-long program and inter-active workshop of rhythms, vocal parts and percussive instrumentation that are part of sacred music traditions around the planet. Many attendees of the workshop brought their own drums and joined enthusiastically in learning new rhythms and chants.

RVW and the WME demonstrated music from Middle Eastern, Hindu, Native American, South American, and African origins. Participants chanted, sang, played, or simply meditated during the hour of eclectic and inspiring music, which featured selections from the WME's Sacred Fusion and Sacred Sojourn CDs.

This yearly festival showcases performers and teachers from many different countries and musical traditions. For more information on this year's and future festivals, please go to:

Seattle World Percussion Society website: http://swps.org

www.richardvwerth.com
www.richard-werth.com
www.richardvanceunebrouck-werth.com
www.rv-w.com
http://whatsnewinapril.richardvwerth.com
www.friendsofrvw.com
www.worldmeditationensemble.com
http://musicpromotesworldpeace.richardvwerth.com