Boelter pleads guilty in lawmaker attacks, agrees to two life sentences

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Mark Johnson is bent on changing the world through music.

The award winning music producer and film director is the creator of the "

" project, in which musicians from diverse backgrounds come together to create inspiring musical recordings.

Last night I had the pleasure of talking with Johnson after a screening of his documentary "Playing for Change: Peace through Music" in MPR's UBS Forum. Johnson said the idea for the project came from a desire to break through traditional boundaries.

Musicians around the world perform a folk tune from Chennai, India

Johnson regards his Playing for Change recordings as a sort of microcosm of peace, bringing people around the world together for a common cause.

Johnson has now traveled to over 35 countries filming and recording musicians, which sometimes involved trekking to some very remote areas with heavy equipment.

Not content with just making compelling music, Johnson is also the co-founder of the 

, which is building music schools in small towns and villages in Africa and Nepal. Johnson says he sees the schools as a source of hope and happiness for people living in otherwise challenging times.

Johnson has also brought together some of the Playing for Change musicians to perform live and tour as a band. They'll perform at the 

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on February 12. 

Arts and Culture

State of the Arts Blog

Marianne Combs

Author

Mark Johnson redefines "world music" with his global videos, and in so doing brings people around the world together for a common cause.

Building a microcosm of peace through music

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox