photo by steed media service

Nine years ago, Michael Orlove came up with an idea that continues to make Chicago a select destination for tourists and residents alike. The World Music Festival features performers from around the world at some of the city’s most popular venues. Held earlier this month, this year’s festival featured 63 events and artists from Africa, the Dominican Republic, India, Turkey and Vietnam. More than half of the performances were free.

“The general purpose [of the event] is to expand people’s musical horizons in Chicago,” says Orlove. “There’s so much music outside our general comfort zone.”

As senior programs director, Orlove oversees a majority of the music programming at both the Chicago Cultural Center and the popular summer festival Summer Dance. Orlove also programs many jazz, world music and avant-garde concerts at the Cultural Center and in Millennium Park. A former intern for cultural affairs, his love for music and the city was a match made in heaven. “It’s what I had the most passion for and saw there was a lot of opportunity to program different types of music,” shares Orlove, adding that music allows people to experience the culture of places they may have never been able to visit.

“I encourage people to travel,” he says, “but I think Chicago has this beautiful landscape within the city that allows you to magically travel to [other] parts of the world without ever leaving.” –tony binns

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