World Music Institute (WMI) has announced its Fall-Winter 2026-27 season, with performances scheduled from Aug. 23, 2026, through Feb. 27, 2027. The lineup features international artists, returning favorites and several New York City debuts, along with the launch of its new series NEXT GEN.
Changemakers
WMI’s Changemakers Series opens Aug. 23, with a free all-ages performance by Angélique Kidjo at Central Park. The five-time GRAMMY winner from Benin has previously collaborated with artists including Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, Alicia Keys, Philip Glass and Yo-Yo Ma. Later in the season, on Feb. 4, 2027, Ukrainian quartet DakhaBrakha will return to New York with the powerful cross-cultural sound the group calls “ethno-chaos.”
Masters
Meanwhile, the Masters Series will feature a performance by L. Shankar at the New York Society for Ethical Culture on Sept. 18. Shankar, an Indian violinist, singer and composer, is known as a pioneer of East-West fusion. Over his four-decade career, he has toured and recorded with U2, Talking Heads, Allah Rakha and the late Zakir Hussain, and co-founded Shakti with John McLaughlin in the mid-1970s.
Let’s Dance
The Let’s Dance Series pairs two artists who approach tradition from different corners of the world. First up is the NYC debut of Japan’s Minyo Crusaders on Sept. 22, 2026, at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn. The group reimagines traditional min’yō folk songs through Caribbean, Latin and African influences. Later, Brazilian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bia Ferreira will perform Nov. 13 at Nublu.
NEXT GEN
Also featured this season is the launch of NEXT GEN, a new series spotlighting artists who are carrying traditional music into new territory. The series begins Sept. 25, with the NYC debut of Laura Itandehui at Public Records in Brooklyn. Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, Itandehui draws from jazz, vocal improvisation and Latin American traditions, moving through bolero, son, cumbia, vallenato and salsa. Then, the series continues Oct. 22 with Lucibela at Joe’s Pub. The Cape Verdean singer is recognized for her expressive voice and her command of mornas and coladeras.
Women’s Voices
Representing the Women’s Voices Series is Somi, who will perform Oct. 1 at Sony Hall in Manhattan. In 2021, Somi became the first African woman nominated in a Grammy jazz category. Her music is shaped by her Rwandan and Ugandan heritage, as well as her childhood in Zambia.
Collaborations
The Collaborations Series will feature a duo performance by Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn on Oct. 17 at DROM in Manhattan. The decade-long partnership connects Wu Fei’s guzheng, a 2,500-year-old Chinese string instrument, with Washburn’s American banjo.
Counterpoint
The Counterpoint Series will feature three performances that reinterpret traditional music through a contemporary lens. Leenalchi, the seven-member alternative band from Seoul, will make its NYC debut Oct. 29 at Pioneer Works. On Nov. 5, sitar maestro Niladri Kumaar will present The Space Between the Notes at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, drawing from his recorded live performance with the late tabla legend Zakir Hussain.The series will close Jan. 23 with Galician duo Caamaño&Ameixeiras at Joe’s Pub.
Origins
The Origins Series will include two late-season performances. On Jan. 28, Peace Through Music: A Tribute to Legendary Sarangi Exponent Ustad Sabri Khan will take place at Kaufman Music Center, honoring the Indian classical musician whose work helped bring the sarangi to a wider global audience. The series will also present the NYC debut of Peni Candra Rini’s Jiwa Kala on Feb. 27 at National Sawdust. The multidisciplinary performance combines Javanese Sufi poetry, experimental music, dance, shadow theater and film in a work centered on ecological reflection.
Visit World Music Institute website for tickets, venue details and the latest event information.
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