Peoria Center for the Performing Arts

Valley-based musician Giovanni Kiyingi is originally from Uganda.

The Peoria Center for the Performing Arts is launching a six-month free music series. Performances begin Wednesday evening.

The series highlights a slate of international performers from diverse cultures and musical genres.

It kicks off with Valley-based Ugandan folk, fusion, and Afrobeat musicians Giovanni Kiyingi & Friends, a standout for NPR’s 2023 Tiny Desk Concert.  .

Marylou Stephens, director of Arts, Culture, and Library Services for the city of Peoria, stated in a release that the universal language of music in the shows which feature Latin, Celtic, Middle Eastern and Indigenous entertainers, “creates a strong connection between the performer and the audience.”  

A list of the performances can be found on the city of Peoria website.