MOVEMENT IMMIGRANT ORCHESTRA
The Movement Immigrant Orchestra is a singular collective bringing together some of the most beloved Bay Area-based immigrant bandleaders under a single umbrella. Ever wondered what global movements of people sound like? This is it! Ethio-Jazz meets Mexican Ranchera; Indian Classical melodies collide with Eastern European rhythms; Taiwanese folk songs meld with Spanish guitar. With a shared leadership structure and collaborative spirit, the musicians revel in bridging traditions and influences, revealing the unexpected emotional and sonic resonances that connect us. The sound of the neighborhood is global and everyone is invited to dance. More than a concert, this performance is an anthem, reminding us of our cultural power, resilience, collaborative potential and strength.
In 2026, we produced a series of live podcast tapings in collaboration with KALW 91.7 FM in San Francisco as part of our residency with the radio station. We featured Meklit in conversation with NPR Tiny Desk Winner and Filipina emcee Ruby Ibarra, as well as Vietnamese American multi instrumentalist, composer and indie music superstar Thao Nguyen. We are currently in the editing process, and will include these live experiences as part of our upcoming seasons. Look out for more live podcast tapings in 2027!
We piloted The Joy Initiative in 2025, co-presenting ten performances of immigrant musicians in San Francisco thanks to funding from the ACTA Taproot Fellowship, featuring musical collaborations and free tickets for community members.
From 2021 - 2023, our performance work was focused on Movement LIVE, a ninety minute theatrical-concert experience. We collaborated with local immigrant musicians in every city that we toured to, from Los Angeles, to Seattle, the Bay Area, Phoenix, Washington DC, New York City, and Abu Dhabi, engaging in months-long storytelling workshops with each of our collaborating artists.
Photo by Waleed Shah
Photo by Bailey Holiver
Movement LIVE was co-commissioned by The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, Stanford Live, Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, Cultural Arts Center at Montgomery College (Takoma Park/Silver Spring, MD) and Arizona State University, Gammage.