Music
Oud Knights with Amina and Shayma: When Oud SpeaksTraditional oud players from Bahrain, the female duo of Oud Knights with Amina and Shayma has played at music festivals around the world. |
Al-Farah Choir: Damascene JasmineBased in the Lady of Damascus Church in Syria, more than 100 children of the choir perform Byzantine, Muslim, and Arab songs. Tue., Feb. 24, 2009, 6:00 PM Free Millennium Stage Performance in the Eisenhower Theater |
Qatar Philharmonic OrchestraLorin Maazel conducts the Arab and western musicians of the orchestra in its international debut program that includes two new works by their Artistic Director Marcel Khalifé and Beethoven's immortal Fifth Symphony. |
Chabab Al Andalous Rabat Orchestra with Mohammed Bajeddoub and Bahae RondaThe orchestra from Rabat, Morocco seeks to preserve the traditions and artistic heritage of Andalusian music. The musicians perform traditional songs and chants using Arabic poems and traditional instruments. |
Bachir Attar & the Master Musicians of JajoukaLed by Bachir Attar, Morocco's Master Musicians of Jajouka play music that is "an evocation of sustained ecstasy. It is chaotic, cacophonous, sometimes at war with itself. And it is utterly intoxicating" (Newsweek). |
Amine and HamzaAward-winning Tunisian brothers, oud player Amine and qanun player Hamza M’Raihi play classical Middle Eastern music, as well as their own compositions. |
K'NAANHailing from war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia, hip hop artist K’NAAN grew up during the Somali civil war. Despite speaking no English, he taught himself hip hop and rap diction. Critics have said K’NAAN has “a sound that fuses Bob Marley, conscious American hip hop, and brilliant protest poetry.” |
Nawal: Voice of ComorosNawal, the singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known as “The Voice of Comoros,” performs her acoustic roots-based fusion, which is rhythmically compelling and beautifully lyrical. |
Tami Meekoo: Remedies for an Injured Iraqi SoulSixteen year old Iraqi classical pianist Tami Meekoo began to play the piano at the age of five. His talent has taken him to many venues around the world. His program includes works by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Ravel, and others. |
Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble & MaloumaThe Iraqi Maqam Ensemble with maqam singer Farida Mohammad Ali performs in a special double-bill event with Mauritanian vocalist Malouma. |
Rami Khalifé and Francesco Tristano: Pop Art – Duo PianoClassically trained Lebanese pianist Rami Khalifé creates compositions and improvisations in a variety of styles and genres ranging from classical to contemporary, jazz, and world music. He performs his non-traditional program, an exciting and dynamic production, with his Juilliard colleague Francesco Tristano. |
Bnet Houariyat: Voices of MarrakechHailing from the region of Marrakech, Morocco, the five women of Bnet Houariyat perform traditional Berber songs and dances that reflect the multiple facets of Islam and the female condition. Hauntingly beautiful, the harmonies, melodies, and rhythms in the songs transport you to another world. The themes explore the cultural traditions and the reality of these extraordinary women. |
Kinan Azmeh and Ensemble“Engagingly flamboyant” (Los Angeles Times), prize-winning Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh combines solid classical training from the Juilliard school with deep understanding and appreciation of his roots and other cultures. He maneuvers between different genres—from classical and jazz to electronica and Arab music. He performs with his ensemble. |
Salma El Assal and Ensemble: From SudanOne of today’s leading Sudanese vocalists—her voice has been compared to that of Aretha Franklin—Salma El Assal performs with her ensemble contemporary arrangements of traditional Sudanese songs. |
Heather Raffo & Amir El Saffar: In Concert: The Sounds of DesireAward-winning author and actress Heather Raffo teams with accomplished jazz trumpeter and Iraqi santoor player Amir El Saffar for a dramatic evening of spoken word and melodic solos. |
Aswat: Celebrating The Golden Age of Arab MusicWith a traditional, 12- to 15-piece Arab orchestra and special guest vocalists, leading Arab composer and multi-instrumentalist Simon Shaheen directs an evening of classic, unforgettable melodies, soul-stirring voices, and lush orchestral arrangements. |
Marcel Khalifé and Al Mayadine EnsembleOne of the most celebrated Arab musicians and composers, oud player Marcel Khalifé and his group pay tribute to the late contemporary Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who was a great influence on Khalifé's music. |
Hoba Hoba Spirit: Hayha MusicMaking their U.S. debut, this reggae, rock, and gnawa (a mixture of African, Berber, and Arab religious songs and rhythms) band is based in Casablanca, Morocco. Hoba Hoba Spirit is one of the region’s hottest groups. |
Fathy Salama and Orchestra: SultanyEgyptian jazz pianist Fathy Salama's music reflects his tireless efforts to bridge traditional and modern music from the Orient. For his program Sultany, he plays with his orchestra. |
Elmaz Abinader and the Country of Origin Band: Country of OriginIn this one-woman show, three generations of Lebanese-American women tell stories of the challenges of living in two worlds and trying to fit in one without erasing the other. Musical director Tony Khalife leads the Country of Origin Band. |
Oriental Music EnsembleOriental Music Ensemble of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music-Palestine performs classical and contemporary Arab music for oud, nay, clarinet, qanun, and percussion. |
Ahmed Fathi: Contemporary Musical RevelationsRenowned singer and oud player Ahmed Fathi is one of the symbols of Yemeni song. |
RUM – Tareq Al Nasser Musical Group: EyaThis ensemble from Jordan explores Oriental and Western traditions to form a new listening and imaginative experience. |
Djamel Laroussi: 3MaraboutsDjamel Laroussi and his band combine both western and North African rhythms based on traditional desert music from the Sahara. Although the emphasis is Algerian there is a strong understanding of reggae, jazz, hard rock, pop, soul, and funk. |
Presenting Underwriter
HRH Foundation
Major Contributors
A. Huda and Samia Farouki
The State of Kuwait
The State of Qatar
The United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Additional support is provided by the Ministry of Culture and Information, Kingdom of Bahrain; the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center; The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development; the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art; Alice and David Rubenstein; Saudi Aramco; the Ford Foundation; Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian; Elaine and Steve Wynn; Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley and Mr. Smith Bagley; The Laura Pels Foundation; and the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.
Presented in cooperation with the League of Arab States.
