'Music of the Andes' will be heard Jan. 5 The Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the Folklife Program for New Jersey will present "Music of the Andes With Urama Shikan" at 1 p.m. on Jan. 5 at Plainsboro Middle School, 55 Grovers Mill Road. The group Urama Shikan combines regional folk dress and dance to cultivate the heritage and share the soul of the native peoples of South America with the American public. Group members will introduce the Andes region of South America to the audience at the Jan. 5 event by performing traditional music and folk dances of the mestizo and indigenous cultures of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Music of the Andean highlands is characterized by the sounds of pre-Columbian instruments such as "kenas" and "tundas" (vertical and transversal flutes), "zamponas" and "sikus" (pan pipes), whistles and percussion instruments such as the "bombo" (large drum) and "chagchas" (shakers made out of hooves or shells and filled with seeds). String instruments, such as the mandolin and guitar, were introduced to the Andes region about five centuries ago with the arrival of European explorers to South America. The European influence also led to the creation of the "charango," a 10-string instrument constructed from an armadillo shell. Admission to the performance is free of charge; however, registration is required. To register or to request directions, call (732) 745-4489. Individuals with hearing impairments may call (732) 745-3888 (TTY users only), or 711 via the New Jersey Relay System. In case of inclement weather on the day of the program, call (732) 296-8966 for more information. Plainsboro Middle School is a fully accessible site; an assistive-listening system is available and will be in use during the program. The event is presented in association with the Plainsboro Recreation Department and Arts Commission, and is funded in part by the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Folklife Program for New Jersey was instituted in 1990 to broaden the appreciation and availability of folk arts, folklore and folklife within Middlesex County; to identify and preserve folk traditions expressed by the people of central New Jersey; to provide a forum for the presentation of New Jersey and regional folk artists, recognized by their community for their excellence; and to encourage public involvement in the folk arts through educational programming and cross-cultural exchange.