Music has been called the universal language, but there are certainly many different dialects.

Mathew Tembo’s World Music Celebration gives people the opportunity to experience different cultures through musical performance.

Tembo, a Zambian musician and graduate student in the School of Music, performs Zambian music based on traditional African rhythms. Tembo is well-known in Zambia as a popular musician, and he has music videos that premiered in Zambia.

Tembo got together with the NIU Afropop Ensemble to perform this unique music when he first came to NIU to pursue graduate studies.

“When we first started, it was quite challenging,” Tembo said.

Tembo also said when it came to improvisation of the music, it was difficult for the ensemble to grasp the feel of Afropop.

“Improvisation is a lot different in jazz music than in African,” Tembo said.

Tembo said the members of the ensemble use their own musical backgrounds to help learn the style of Afropop.

“They bring whatever background they have to Afropop,” Tembo said.

Afropop, otherwise known as contemporary African pop music, is quite different from other musical styles students study at NIU.

The World Music Celebration is a way for different cultures to be displayed in one area. In addition to Tembo and the NIU Afropop Ensemble, the event will feature the NIU Steel Band, the NIU Middle-Eastern Music Ensemble and the NIU Chinese Music Ensemble. Artwork and crafts from around the world will also be displayed.

“This is a celebration of music from everywhere in the world,” Tembo said. “People don’t get to hear music from all around the world in one place.”

The World Music Celebration will be held 7 p.m. Saturday at The House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway. The proceeds from the event will go toward a fund to help Tembo and the NIU Afropop Ensemble afford a trip to Zambia to record a CD. This recording will be a part of Tembo’s final graduate project at the School of Music.