Even though drums were banned in colonial Peru, African slaves living there refused to abandon the rhythms that were so integral to their culture. They grabbed anything they could beat or shake, transforming ordinary items like storage crates and chairs into tools that would preserve their musical tradition. Read more...

Film School The Cooperage Feb. 6, 8 p.m. With a moody and dynamic palette of sounds, Film School is sure to win over the hearts of arty pretentious types everywhere. Read more...

If you saw Axel Schmitt, a UCLA student currently working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree, on campus, you’d never guess he is a renowned pianist who has played in front of crowds all over Europe and the United States. Read more...

“Hidalgo” Ackerman Grand Ballroom Feb. 10, 8 p.m. If not for the pretty overt pro-American sentiment, this almost looks like a David Lean movie, Omar Sharif and all. Read more...

Some people dance to the beat of a different drum. For students in one particular on-campus percussion class, that drum is from Africa. An eight-week African drumming class led by Fred Jones is one of the many cultural programs offered by UCLA’s Department of Cultural and Recreation Affairs. Read more...

At military funerals today, it’s not an unusual sight to see a person playing “Taps” with a digital bugle, or to hear a recording of the famous tune playing on a boom box. Read more...

Names like Kim Gi-duk, B. Shigley and Hyo-Lee may mean practically nothing to an average American. However, they are all famous celebrities in the Asian entertainment industry, and they are all featured in the current issue of Asia Pacific Arts ““ a UCLA-based magazine devoted to both Asian-American and Asian arts and entertainment. Read more...