The concert is scheduled to run from 7-10 p.m., and all donations will go toward helping orphans in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and Shymkent, Kazakhstan, when members of Moyindau travel to those cities this summer. An anonymous donor will match donations generated as part of the orphanage benefit.

Music performance senior Alex Kreger and jazz studies graduate student Ryan Ptasnik, both Moyindau members, will spend the summer traveling through many of the countries that constitute Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

“What a great opportunity that is for us who are so fortunate here to be able to donate some of our time and support and contribute to kids who are in need,” Ptasnik said.

The pair also will spend time in Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia. Joining them for legs of the trip will be music performance senior
Kevin Bene and music performance graduate student Susanna Mendlow, both Moyindau members.

The idea to take the trip, Kreger said, came at least partially because of his experiences with people from the Central Asia area and his study of music from the region.

Moyindau, was born of a musical partnership between Kreger and an MSU student from Kazakhstan, who collaborated to put Kazakh poetry to music.

Apart from benefitting the orphanages, members of the group will spend the summer traveling in Central Asia playing music and
immersing themselves in the region.

“There will be an element there of improvisation that is reflective and complementary with our musical process,” Kreger said of the trip, which begins May 22. “There will be some balance between some things but mostly leaving it open for new experiences and new people.”

Wanderer’s Teahouse is no stranger to hosting benefits, having recently held one, for example, to raise money for earthquake relief for Japan, co-owner Michael Spano said.

Spano and his wife, Teahouse co-owner Elizabeth Marazita, spent years traveling the world. Tonight’s benefit resonated with Spano for this reason and others after he was approached with the idea, he said.

“You know the people, and you know they’re going to do well,” Spano said.

According to a flyer for the event, Wanderer’s will offer crêpe and tea specials for donations of $5 or more. Spano said benefit attendees will receive a to-be-determined discount on purchased items if they donate.

Benefit attendees also can expect to hear a range of music they might not be used to hearing, Ptasnik said, such as classical, avant-garde and folk music.

“It will be a very collective evening with stuff people won’t get to hear that often,” he said. “And it’s people together in a healthy environment listening to music and helping people.”

More information on Moyindau can be found at moyindau.com. Group members are asking anyone wishing to donate who cannot make the
concert to email moyindau@gmail.com.