This event is full! Stay tuned for 2027 as we grow into a bigger venue.
The OSU Center for the Study of Religion invites you to an evening of religious sound and music. This community-building event will feature instrumental and vocal performances from individuals, community groups, religious organizations and additional friends, all sharing an example of musical or sonic practice from their tradition.
Focusing on the role of sound and music in local religious practice, this event strives to build community relationships and showcase connections between sound and religion in Central Ohio. Performances include Byzantine chant, Sikh kirtan, classical Indian dancing, Mennonite songleading, contemporary Jewish liturgy, Tibetan Buddhist chanting, Cuban orisha dance and Persian traditional music with a wide mix of genres, styles and instrumentations.
Co-sponsored by The Center for the Study of Religion, The Melton Center for Jewish Studies, Interfaith Association of Central Ohio and the Humanities Institute.
This event is free, open to the public and welcoming to everyone, with free on-site parking.
Directions and Parking
Grange Insurance Audubon Center
Scioto Audubon Metropark
505 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Audubon Center is at the end of the road that leads into the metropark: drive straight to the very end (do not veer right) to find the Audubon building and adjacent parking lot. Free, onsite parking is available.
List of Performers
Manasvi Udani
Jain Center of Central Ohio
Bharatanatyam
Manasvi Udani will perform Bharatanatyam, an Indian form of classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu, India over thousands of years ago. Originally performed by Hindu deities, Bharatanatyam incorporates forms of graceful and geometric movements along with storytelling. Manasvi will perform a Madhura Thillana, which is a fast-paced, rhythmic dance that presents a story of Lord Krishna.
Behzad Namazi
Persian Composer and Ethnomusicologist
Persian Traditional Music
Behzad Namazi (composer, ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist) earned his PhD in ethnomusicology and music composition from Ohio University in 2020. Dr. Namazi’s research and performance practice is centered around the modal system of Persian traditional music, and the socio-cultural phenomena surrounding this musical tradition.
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses
Temple Israel
"The Tapestry of Jewish Music"
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses of Temple Israel will explore the rich tapestry of Jewish music - from the traditional prayer modes of nusach and the expressive artistry of the Golden Age of hazzanut, to contemporary folk melodies that continue to shape Jewish worship and identity. Through musical examples and historical context, the presentation will show how each generation preserves inherited sounds while creating new expressions of faith, memory, and community.
Lama Kathy Wesley
Columbus Karma Thegsum Chöling Buddhist Center
Om Mani Padme Hum
Lama Kathy Wesley from Columbus KTC will lead a chanting of one of the most beloved mantras in all of Tibet, the compassion mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. By reciting this mantra, we cultivate compassion in our hearts and use visualization meditation to bless the world with love.
Guru Nanak Youth group
Guru Nanak Religious Society
Gurbani Kirtan
Experience traditional Sikh music with the Sikh youth group from Guru Nanak Religious Society. They will be performing Gurbani Kirtan per Sikh musical traditions.
Byzantine Chanters
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Columbus
Byzantine Chant
Representatives from the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral will perform traditional Byzantine chants, characteristic of Orthodox services. Performed without instruments and primarily monophonic, the chants express music through melody rather than harmony.
Cuban Orisha Dancers and Drummers
Organized by CSR Arts Awardee Celia Benvenutti
Cuban Orisha Dance
Ohio State University graduate student Celia Benvenutti, one of the Center for the Study of Religion’s Religion and Arts award winner, will perform a Cuban Orisha dance.
Mennonite Songleaders
Columbus Mennonite Church
Hymns
Katie Graber, Debra Martin, Tom Blosser, Phil Hart and Paul Knapke from Columbus Mennonite Church will teach and perform songs from their hymnal. Columbus Mennonite Church sings in vocal harmony, often without instrumental accompaniment.
The Humanities Institute and its related centers host a wide range of events, from intense discussions of works in progress to cutting-edge presentations from world-known scholars, artists, activists and everything in between.
We value in-person engagement at our events as we strive to amplify the energy in the room. To submit an accommodation request, please send your request to Cody Childs, childs.97@osu.edu.
