Get a peek at what CSB/SJU fine arts is offering this season

The coming fine arts season at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University features music, dance, theater and more from around the world and with styles from gospel choir to hip-hop violin. (Yes, you read that right.)
Although Executive Director Brian Jose admits choosing a few of the performing fine arts events to highlight for stories like this is akin to making him choose a favorite child, he did so, just for Up Next.
For the complete list of offerings at St. Ben's and St. John's for the 2014 and 2015 season, visit www.csbsju.edu/fine-arts.
• The band he's most excited about is Khumariyaan, (pronounced hu-mar-ion), which hails from Pakistan. The mixed traditional and contemporary band is stopping in Collegeville as a result of Jose's trip to Pakistan in 2013. He visited the country as part of the Center Stage delegation, a cultural exchange program of the U.S. Department of State. While there, he identified musical acts and artists to tour the United States. One of those bands was Khumariyaan, whose name means "intoxication" in Pashtun, Jose said.
"It's a nice combination. Some of it's a Western sound, with guitars. Two of the instruments are traditional. It just makes for a really richly layered trance-like music," he said.
Traditional instruments include the lute-like rubab, the djembe-like drum zerbaghali and sitar.
Their week's worth of residencies and jam sessions culminates with a performance Sept. 27.
"There are lots of great opportunities for people to connect with this band," Jose said. They have more than 10 engagements beyond the performance, including going to schools, the St. Cloud VA Health Care System and having jam sessions with musicians and students.
See a music video of the band at www.csbsju.edu/fine-arts/performances/khumariyaan.