Our mission is to enrich and connect the lives of both artists and residents in Fort Wayne, Indiana and beyond,

with cultures from around the globe.

We are dedicated to curating high-quality, diverse artistic and educational experiences allowing residents to engage directly with artists and learn about the cultural contexts of their art. We aim to build bridges of empathy and curiosity, inspiring a more connected and unified community in Fort Wayne and beyond.

International Concert Series & Community Workshops 2024

Musicians, Kike Galdames and Claudio Gonzalez toured the Midwest state of Indiana on a special P3 visa granted by the United States Government for outstanding international artists presenting a culturally unique program. They flew into Ft. Wayne Indiana to perform three free concerts and community workshops and masterclasses across three Indiana cities in September!

"Canturia de Mi Sangre" or "Song of my Blood" is a live music concert of original compositions by Kike Galdames that honors the universal poetry of Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American Nobel Prize laureate. Esteemed globally as one of the great humanistic voices of our time, Gabriela championed the rights of women, children and indigenous communities. Her poetry embraces humor, sorrow, hope and profound humanity. The concert is a voyage of 15 original compositions by Chilean composer, Kike Galdames.

About the Musicians:
Luis (“Kike”) Galdames is a Chilean musician, author, composer, multi-instrumentalist and educator. He is acclaimed nationally and globally for his work, which is influenced by Latin American rhythms, melodies, and poetry, establishing him as a prominent figure in Latin American fusion music. Galdames plays the Andean wind instruments, Quena, Sicura,and zampoña, as well as the Soprano, Saxophone, Guitar and Didjiridoo. He has performed in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, San Salvador, Mexico, USA, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Australia and China.

Claudio Gonzalez, one of Chile’s finest pianists, will be an accompanying musician showcasing his talents as versatile multi-instrumentalist who will also be playing cajon peruano and bongos. Gonzalez is an experienced musical producer and arranger who has performed national and international tours.

International Concert Series & Community Workshops 2023

The Ft. Wayne based non-profit, Bridging Worlds, curated its 2nd international concert featuring Chilean artist, Daniel Delgado, who travelled to Fort Wayne all the way from the Southern Cone of the Americas. The concert took place in the beautiful Main Theatre of the Downtown Allen County Public Library. Some of Fort Wayne’s world class local musicians accompanied the composer, including Vivianne Belanger on flute, Brian Derek on bass, Tommy Saul on piano, Jose Morales and Colin Boyd on percussion and Phil Schurger on electric guitar. The Fort Wayne Dance Collective performers added their alchemy to the mix with visual interpretive dance. Daniel Delgado is a Chilean composer and guitarist. He has been recognized as one of the principal figures in the avant-garde fusion of Latin American music. Delgado has recorded two original solo albums and more than 10 albums with the internationally renowned group, Entrama. Bridging Worlds aims to build bridges and connections between local artists and artists from other cultures and countries as part of our Bridging Cultures programming.

This live music experience was free and open to the public, brought to you by Bridging Worlds Non-Profit, in partnership with the Chilean Ministry of Arts & Culture, and Allen County Public Library. If you or your company is interested in helping to support future “Bridging Cultures” concerts please contact Director@Bridgingworldsinc.com

International Concert Series & Community Workshops 2022

Our first guest artist Chilean musician, Marcelo Jara, travelled to the Midwest from the Southern Cone to give a stellar performance of original music in his mother tongue. He was accompanied by some of the region's finest musicians including Michael Patterson and Brian Derek on bass, Derek Reeves on viola, Phil Schurger on guitar, and Jose Morales on percussion. The concert was made possible by generous donations of individual philanthropists and Arts Midwest. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word about this event and the work this non-profit is doing in our community, especially, WBOI FM Conexxion Latina, WANE TV, Waynedale News and El Mexicano News.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

"The opportunity to attend a unique concert of this caliber here in Fort Wayne is enriching to my life on a professional level (Professor of Latin American Studies at Purdue University Ft. Wayne) and on a personal level. It was a fusion of Chilean music with various genres and further, a musical collaboration between the Chilean musician and local NE Indiana musicians.

This is a benefit to us all. Thank you”

Steve Buttes

"It is indispensable to our community to participate and to share in a cultural exchange that we would see in major cities. FW should be proud that we are hosting events that bring world class people and artists together right here in our own backyard."

Thomas Saul

"Fantastic job to all who were involved. We look forward to a continued partnership with this amazing organization, Bridging Worlds!"

Allen County Public Library

"These types of performances are so important for all the people who are searching for that sense of possibility or hope. Those little reminders change lives."

Wolfgang Young

"I enjoyed the concert very much. The compositions were of superior quality. The concert exemplified that the universal language of music transcends ethnocultural differences."

Andres Montenegro

"Such experiences lead people to unify heart to heart beyond national boundaries. The experience of people and artists coming to our town enhances the vibrancy of our city."

Shmuel Wahli

"FW Is so lucky to have an organization like Bridging Worlds to bring in such talented musicians and composers from other countries that our community would otherwise not be able to experience live. It is great to see the local talent of artists connect and perform together with artists from other parts of the world!"

Ashley Benninghoff

"Marcelo Jara comes from the land of great poets like Pablo Neruda and Gabriella Mistral. More than a concert -an experience. Captivating, intense, passionate, moving.

Thank you to Bridging Worlds for bringing Marcelo to Fort Wayne."

John Selby

"The music was so fascinating and beautiful, and performed with such excellence, that it didn't matter that -- not knowing Spanish -- I couldn't understand the words with my mind. I felt them in my heart."

Richard Koehneke

"Living in Ft. Wayne and having grown up in South America, I am thrilled to be a part of this initiative that brings forth a rich cultural exchange through diverse music from other parts of the world."