Public Diplomacy Officer Steven Rider
Entertains Festival Goers
Location: Moscow
Date: June 04, 2004
The U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section Frequently Supports American Artists Presenting Their Work in Russia. It did so in a very personal way on June 4, at the International Festival of Ethnic Culture at the Hermitage Garden in Moscow. The Embassy's own Public Diplomacy Officer Steven Rider entertained Festival goers with a musical set drawing from the country and jazz traditions of the United States. As part of an evening of music from all over the world, Steven shared a stage with artists from Russia, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The interethnic feel of Steven's performance was enhanced with the impromptu harmonies of the West African group Hakuna Matata during his rendition of "Country Roads." A long-time student of Russian culture, Steven closed his performance with a Russian song with words by the revered poet Sergey Yesenin.