Lemon Bucket Orkestra performs for Cape Breton school children

Students from Middle River and Boularderie inCape Bretongot an earful about world music on Monday.

The children were entertained by an unusual folk group called The Lemon Bucket Orkestra.

The group is based in Toronto, but its 17 members (12 of whom are on this Atlantic Canadian tour) have varied cultural backgrounds and are from all over.

One member, trombone player Eli Camilo grew up and went to school in Boularderie.

"I left this school and travelled around the world and discovered lots of great things and now I get to bring it back to the children from the very community I came from," he said.

Student reaction

The colourful and enthusiastic musicians played mostly Eastern European music,as well as classical music from Korea and New Orleans jazz, much to the delight of student Mikala Miles.

"It was really cool because it came from other countries and I never heard that type of music before," she said.

The children danced, sang and waved their arms in the air to the lively music in the school gym.

Student Dante White was very appreciative.

"I find it was nice of them to come down here and play for us," he said.

Camilo hopes the introduction to the music will instill an appreciation for other people and places. He wants the kids to"be interested in other cultures, other parts of the world or even just have an open mind towards other cultures and other people."

The eclectic musical ensemble will performat the Highland Arts Centrein downtown Sydney on Tuesday.

The Lemon Bucket Orkestra bills itself asCanada's only "Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-party-punk-super-band."

It was recently awarded World Music Group of the year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.