51.IFF – 2017
“Ethno on the road in Croatia”

Ban Jelacic Square, Wednesday, 19. 7. 2017. at 20.00

“thno Croatia is a project of the Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) which encourages young people to educate each other about traditional music and, with the help of mentors, broaden and deepen their knowledge of their own musical culture, as well as the legacy of other cultures whose heirs are taking part in this international camp. Through learning about the musical traditions of others, young participants are gaining knowledge about equality, tolerance and democracy. In the period from July 9th to July 19 th 2017, Ethno Croatia brings young musicians together at the International Cultural Center of JMC in Grožnjan. Young people from all over the world (Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Sweden, Estonia, Zimbabwe, Spain, Finland, Jordan, Chile, England etc.) spend time with each other and learn about the music of the countries they hail from. After partaking in workshops filled with music, dancing and socializing, the participants leave the picturesque Grožnjan and go on the Ethno on the Road tour. This year’s tour includes several Croatian towns (Grožnjan, Gornja Stubica, Slavonski Brod and Zagreb) and two festivals: Jazz is Back – BP 2017 in Grožnjan and the 51st International Folklore Festival in the Croatian capital – Zagreb.

Ethno Croatia is proud to present this year’s art director Ernesto Calderon Dondero from Chile, an outstanding and experienced musician who teaches students and helps them with studying, arranging and creating music.

Ernesto Calderon Dondero (Valparaíso, Chile, 1984) graduated at the Instituto de Música at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaíso in 2006, earning the title of music pedagogue. He continued his education in Scotland, where he studied the accordion in the class of Sandy Brechin. After returning to Chile, Dondero continued his accordion studies in the class of professor Ignacio Hernandez and later on in France, where he worked with Frederic Deschamps. Since 2012, he has also been active as a composer and conductor with the Ensemble Transatlántico de Folk Chileno , an orchestra that plays music based on the rhythms of the Chilean tradition, with 30 members in Chile and 20 abroad. The orchestra has performed in the USA, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the UK, Denmark, Sweden and India. Ernesto started his journey in Ethno projects as a participant in 2010 ( Ethno Scotland 2010, Ethno Croatia 2014, Ethno Flanders 2014, Ethno Germany 2014). Since 2015, he has been active as a mentor ( TradInEthno & Ethno Flanders (2015), Ethno India (2016)) and founded the ChilEthno Camp (2015, 2016, 2017) with the support of the Chilean Arts Council.