Washintunes

Turath: Arab Culture in America

2011-11-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Date: November 10, 2011 (Thursday)
Time: 08:00 P.M.
Place: Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U Street Northwest, WDC 20009 (directions)
Tickets: $30 balcony, $50 preferred orchestra and balcony, $100 premier, $200 VIP by phone: (202) 244-2990

FIRST HALF: Fashion show featuring work of Hana Sadiq

SECOND HALF: Performance by the Michigan Arab Orchestra's Takht Ensemble

Video:

Sponsors: ADC

Andalusian Nights with Layali El Andalus

2011-10-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

Date: October 29, 2011 (Saturday)
Time: 07:30 P.M.
Place: Convergence Park Baptist Church, 1801 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302 (directions)
Tickets: $20 adults, $15 youths (18 and under), online or phone 800-595-4849

Layali El Andalus will perform in Alexandria, VA. Reviving the golden age of a mythical Andalusia, musicians Rachid Halihal and Daphna Mor draw inspiration from the confluence of Arab and Western cultures of early Spain. Master dancer, Yasser Darwish, will perform the Egyptian saidi and “whirling dervish” dances.

Video:

Sponsors: Washington Revels

Alash Ensemble in DC, MD, VA

2011-10-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

Alash Ensemble, masters of Tuvan throat singing, return to the Greater Washington area for half dozen performances in Maryland and Virginia near DC.

Performances: details

Oct 25, 2011 (Tue) @ 8:00 PM - Frostburg State University, Frostburg MD
Oct 26 2011 (Wed) @ 7:00 PM - Salisbury University, Salisbury MD
Oct 27, 2011 (Thu) @ 7:00 PM - Chesapeake Arts Theater, Brooklyn MD
Oct 28, 2011 (Fri) @ 7:00 PM - MD Hall for Creative Arts, Annapolis MD
Oct 29, 2011 (Sat) @ 4:00 PM - HDG Presbyterian Church, Havre de Grace MD
Oct 30, 2011 (Sun) @ 12:30 PM - Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore MD
Oct 30, 2011 (Sun) @ 7:30 PM - IOTA Club & Cafe, Arlington VA

Sponsors: World Artists Experience

VCU: Safaafir

2011-04-16T19:30:00.000-04:00

Date: April 16, 2011 (Saturday)
Time: 6:30 - 9:30 P.M.
Place: Commonwealth Ballroom Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy's Monroe Park Campus, 907 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220 (directions) (parking)
Tickets: General seating, $10 (students with ID), $15 (others): call or email Faisal Al-Qassab at (804) 828-1981 or faysalalqassab[dot]gmail.com

Safaafir presents "Iraqi Maqam Night" at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Maqam is the urban classical vocal tradition of Iraq. Found primarily in the cities of Baghdad, Mosul, Kirkuk, and Basra, the Maqam repertoire draws upon musical styles of the many populations in Iraq, such as the Bedouins, rural Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen as well as neighboring Persians, Turks, and other populations that have had extensive contact with Iraq throughout history. The use of the word Maqam in Iraq is distinct from its use in the rest of the Arab world and Turkey, where the term refers to a musical mode on which compositions and improvisations are based. In Iraq, Maqam refers to the composition itself.

Performers:

Amir ElSaffar: Santoor, Lead Vocals
Dena El Saffar: Violin, Joza, Vocals
Tim Moore: Percussion, Vocals

Video:

Sponsors: Students of Mesopotamia, VCU School of World Studies VCU Arabic club

Strathmore: Roya Ensemble

2011-04-10T19:00:00.000-04:00

Date: April 10, 2011 (Sunday)
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Place: The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814 (directions)
Tickets: $30 online with EventBrite

Roya Bahrami brings her ensemble to the Strathmore for a benefit concert and reception to celebrate their latest CD, I am I am not.

Video:

Lincoln Theatre: TURKSOY: Music and Dance of the Turkic World

2011-03-20T19:00:00.017-04:00

Date: March 28, 2011 (Monday)
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place: Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U ST NW, WDC 20009 (directions)
Tickets: free with online reservation

A first-ever mega-performance that will showcase a spectacular arrangement of over 140 musicians, dancers, and performers hailing from all over the Turkic world, and coming together for an once-in-a-lifetime celebration of Nevruz, the New Year celebrated in the Turkic world and beyond. Breathtaking sounds from traditional instruments, colorful and entrancing dance performances are just some of the many facets that are sure to captivate audiences from all walks of life.

TURKSOY: Music and Dance of the Turkic World will feature musical and dance performances from 11 different Turkic nations from 9 countries of the world, which include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgizstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as the Russian Federation’s Republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and Tiva; the Ukranian autonomous republic of Crimea, and the Moldovan autonomous region of Gagauzia.

Music and Dance of the Turkic World is fun for all ages and will include many family-friendly surprises!

Doors open at 6 pm. Admission is free. Register at http://turksoy.eventbrite.com .

Video:

Sponsors: Embassies of Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, co-sponsored by the U.S. Azeris Network (USAN), the U.S. Turkic Network (USTN), the Karabakh Foundation, with media support by the Nowruz Commission and Turkica.com

Lisner: Marcel Khalife's Concierto Andalouse

2011-03-10T20:00:00.031-05:00

Date: March 12, 2011 (Saturday)
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Place: 21st and H Streets NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Tickets: $25, $30, $35, $40, $45; GW Students: $15, $20, $25, $30, $35 via TicketMaster

Pan American Symphony Orchestra brings together Marcel Khalife and Carmela Greco for a night of Spanish and Arabic music.

"Suite Andalouse" is Marcel Khalife’s own composition; it blends traditional Arabic musical traditions with Spanish flamenco elements. It is also known as the Concierto Andalouse (AKA Concerto Al-Andalus).

Performers:

Marcel Khalife (oud)
Bachar Khalife (percussion)
Carmela Greco (flamenco dance)
Maria Juncal (flamenco dance)
La Truco (flamenco dance)
Pepa Molina (flamenco dance)
Pan American Symphony Orchestra

Video:

Sponsors: Jose Greco Foundation for Hispanic Dance

Nowruz 2011: Shams Ensemble

2011-03-10T19:55:00.000-05:00

Date: March 12, 2011 (Friday)
Time: 8:00 - 11:00 P.M.
Place: W. T. Woodson High School, 4525 Main Street, Fairfax VA 22032 (directions)
Tickets: $25, $30, $35, $40 XXX

Shams Ensemble returns to Washington to help celebrate the Persian New Year.

Video:

Shams Ensemble
Duration: 02 minutes 07 seconds

Sponsors: Persian Arts Society

Kennedy Center: Suphala with Kinan Azmeh and Amir Elsaffar

2011-03-02T19:30:00.000-05:00

Date: March 10, 2011 (Thursday)
Time: two shows: 7:30 P.M. and 9:30 P.M.
Place: Monsoon Club at the Terrace Gallery of the Kennedy Center, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC
Tickets: $15, available online

Versatile composer and performer Suphala teams up on tabla with guests to perform music in Western classical, Indian classical, jazz, folk, and soul styles.

Suphala studied under tabla masters Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain after training in classical piano.

Performaners:

Suphala - tabla
Kinan Azmeh - clarinet
Amir Elsaffar - trumpet
Matt Kilmer - percussions
John Hadfield - percussion

Video:

Suphala - I Feel Awake Even Though This is A Dream
Duration: 03 minutes 30 seconds

Sponsors: Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Embassy of India, HRH Foundation, Executive Council, David and Alice Rubenstein with the Trehan Foundation, Dr. Romesh and Kathleen Wadhwani, Amway Corporation, and RB Properties, also supported by the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts

McDaniel College: Simon Shaheen Ensemble

2011-02-27T19:00:00.000-05:00

Date: March 1, 2011 (Tuesday)
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Place: McDaniel Lounge, Westminster, MD (directions)
Tickets: $15 General Admission ( telephone 410 857-2462)

The Simon Shaheen Ensemble returns to McDaniel College for an another magical evening.

Performers:

Simon Shaheen: Oud & Violin
Michel Merhej: Percussion
Najib Shaheen: Oud
Walid Zairi: Bass

Video:

Millennium Stage: Berklee Flamenco

2011-02-26T18:00:00.000-05:00

Date: February 26, 2011(Saturday)
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center (directions)
Tickets: Free and open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis

Berklee Flamenco comes to the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. Under the direction of Javier Limon, they will perform original works by Limon, ensemble member Ariadna Castellanos Rivas, as well as works by Paco de Lucia.

Video:

Es Ahora by Ariadna Castellanos Rivas
Duration: 05 minutes 56 seconds

Sponsors: Conservatory Project

Atlas: Haft Peykar

2011-02-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

Date: February 26, 2011 (Saturday)
Time: 2:00 P.M.
Place: Lang Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H ST NE, Washington DC 200
Tickets: $15 ($10 student) online

The Silk Road Dance Company performs "Haft Peykar," an epic romance of seven different cultures. Based on the 12th century poem by Nizami Ganjavi. A young warrior named Bahram Gur discovers portraits of seven beautiful princesses, each from a different land.

Press:
Cultural Tourism DC
Brightest Young Things
Facebook

Video:

Haft Paykar - Silk Road Dance Company

Sponsors: Intersections - the second annual all-arts festival celebrating the artistic and cultural connections of our community and world by the Atlas Performing Arts Center

Kenndy Center's Kaiser talk arts management in Lagos

2011-02-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

St. Mary's: Frances-Marie Uitti + Ayman Fanous

2011-01-25T19:30:00.003-05:00

Frances-Marie Uitti and cellist

Date: February 15, 2011 (Tuesday)
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 P.M.
Place: St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 728 23rd ST NW, Washington DC 20037 (directions)
Tickets: $20 at door

Cellist Frances-Marie Uitti joins guitarist-lutenist-oudist Ayman Fanous for an evening of extraordinary music.

Uitti has pioneered a revolutionary technique that transforms the cello into a polyphonic instrument capable of sustained chordal (two-, three-, and four-part) and intricate multivoiced writing. She uses two bows in one hand for cross accents, multiple timbres, contrasting 4-voiced dynamics, simultaneous legato/articulated playing.

György Kurtág, Luigi Nono, Giacinto Scelsi, Louis Andriessen, Jonathan Harvey, and Richard Barrett are among those who have used this technique in their works dedicated to her.

Ayman Fanous began music with classical violin but switched to the guitar. He melds classical and flamenco guitar technique into contemporary free improvisation on guitar, bazouki, and oud. He has performed at St. Mary's over the past two years alone with Kinan Azmeh (2009, 2010) and Jason Kao Hwang (2010).

Press:
Embassy of Finland
Italian Cultural Institute
WETA
DCist
Culture Mob

Program:

Ayman Fanous: Solo Guitar and Greek Bouzouki:

Improvisation on Heitor Villa-Lobos' Etude No. 1
Improvisation on Greek Bouzouki
Improvisation on Heitor Villa-Lobos' Prelude No. 2

Frances-Marie Uitti: Solo Cello:

Salvatore Sciarrino: Ai Limiti della Notte
Jonathan Harvey: Curve with Plateaux
György Kurtág: Message to Frances-Marie
Giacinto Scelsi: Ygghur
Frances-Marie Uitti: Rap't

Frances-Marie Uitti and Ayman Fanous:

Cello-Guitar Improvisations

Video:

acamar (3): Frances Marie Uitti
Duration: 06 minutes 06 seconds

Ayman Fanous -- Solo Bouzouki
Duration: 07 minutes 54 seconds

Sponsors: Consulate General, Kingdom of the Netherlands

Furia Flamenca @ Corcoran: Pasión Gitana

2010-11-17T19:00:00.000-05:00

Date: November 17, 2010 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Place: Cororan Gallery, 500 17 ST NW, Washington DC 20006 (directions)
Tickets: $20 members, $25 public, available by calling (202) 639-1770 or online

Furia Flamenca follows last month's performance on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage with Pasión Gitana ("Gypsy Passion"), a delightful evening of Flamenco dance and music.

Under the direction of Estela Velez, Furia Flamenca Dance Company presents a dazzling showcase of fiery footwork, passionate rhythms, and intoxicating music.

The performance features guitarists Torcuato Zamora and Guillermo Christie, and singer Jorge Porta, the evening will celebrate the passion, power, and emotion of this hauntingly beautiful and complex art form.

Social Media:
Furia Flamenca (Facebook)
Corcoran invitation (Facebook)

Video:
Kennedy Center (October 10, 2010)

Millennium Stage: Nomadic Massive

2010-11-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

Date: November 16, 2010 (Tuesday)
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center (directions)
Tickets: Free and open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis

Nomadic Massive is a Montreal-based, socially engaged, hip-hop consortium. Their members hail from Argentina, France, Algeria, Haiti, Chile, Barbados, and Grenada. They perform in seven languages: Arabic, English, Creole, French, Patois, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Social Media:
MySpace
Facebook

Press:
MTV (album review)

Video:

Sponsors: Words, Beats, Life

Kennedy Center: Malek Jandali

2010-11-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Date: November 14, 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 P.M.
Place: Terrace Theater of the Kennedy Center
Tickets: $29.00 - $45.00 general, online

Syrian pianist Malek Jandali performs "Echoes from Ugarit: The Oldest Music in the World." Mr. Jandali has based his composition on the oldest music notation in the world, dating back to 3,400 B.C., discovered in the ancient city of Ugarit on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. He recorded this first arrangement for piano and orchestra with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow. The project is an attempt to present the rich musical heritage of the Levant region. It has been performed with several leading symphony orchestras around the world and has been received with critical acclaim in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Social Media:
Facebook

Video:

Malek Jandali Syrian Composer Ugarit Music
Duration: 05 minutes 01 seconds

Millennium Stage: Wajahat Ali - The Domestic Crusaders

2010-11-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

Date: November 14, 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center (directions)
Tickets: Free and open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis

Wajahat Ali’s play Domestic Crusaders focuses on a day in the life of a modern, Muslim, Pakistani American family of six who convene at the family house to celebrate the 21st birthday of the youngest child. Sparks fly among the three generations, culminating in an intense family battle as each "crusader" struggles to assert and impose their respective voices and opinions, while still attempting to maintain and understand that unifying thread that makes them part of the same family.

Video:

The Domestic Crusaders:
Duration: 03 minutes 43 seconds

The Domestic Crusaders:
Al Jazeera English Interview with Playwright Wajahat Ali
Duration: 02 minutes 13 seconds

URLs:
Domestic Crusaders
Goat's Milk (blog)
MySpace
Facebook
Guardian (column)
Huffington Post
Twitter

Millennium Stage: Lena Seikaly

2010-11-13T18:00:00.000-05:00

Date: November 13, 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center (directions)
Tickets: Free and open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis

DC-based Palestinian-American, classical and jazz vocalist Lena Seikally returns to the Millennium Stage a year later to dazzle audiences again with the beauty of her voice.

Video:
Millennium Stage performance of February 10, 2009

URLs:
Kennedy Center
Lena Seikally
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

Atlas: Wajahat Ali - The Domestic Crusaders

2010-11-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

Date: November 12, 2010 (Friday)
Time: 7:30 P.M.
Place: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H ST NW, Washington DC 20002 (directions)
Tickets: $20, available online

Wajahat Ali’s play Domestic Crusaders focuses on a day in the life of a modern, Muslim, Pakistani American family of six who convene at the family house to celebrate the 21st birthday of the youngest child. Sparks fly among the three generations, culminating in an intense family battle as each "crusader" struggles to assert and impose their respective voices and opinions, while still attempting to maintain and understand that unifying thread that makes them part of the same family.

Video:

The Domestic Crusaders:
Duration: 03 minutes 43 seconds

The Domestic Crusaders:
Al Jazeera English Interview with Playwright Wajahat Ali
Duration: 02 minutes 13 seconds

URLs:
Domestic Crusaders
Goat's Milk (blog)
MySpace
Facebook
Guardian (column)
Huffington Post
Twitter

Sponsors:
Muslim Public Affairs Council

Silk Road Dance Company’: 15th Anniversary 'Spirit of the Silk Road'

2010-10-25T19:30:00.000-04:00

Date: November 6, 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 7:30 P.M.
Place: Joe's Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier MD 20712 (directions)
Tickets: $20 advance, $25 at door, available online

Come join Laurel Victoria Gray for a performance by the Silk Road Dance Company to celebrate their 15th anniversary. They will perform "Spirit of the Silk Road" featuring dynamic new pieces and historic legacy repertoire choreographies. Central Asian, Persian, Arabic, Bollywood, Georgian, and Russian Romani (Gypsy) dance favorites.

Earlier in the day, the Silk Road Dance Company will hold workshops (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM) on traditional Persian, Arabic, and Silk Road dances and rhythms.

A reception with the artists will follow the concert.

Social Media:
Facebook (event)
Facebook (fan page)
YouTube.com

Video:

St. Mary's: Kinan Azmeh and Ayman Fanous

2010-10-17T20:00:00.003-04:00

Date: October 22, 2010 (Friday)
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Place: St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 728 23rd ST NW, Washington DC 20037 (directions)
Tickets: $15 at door

Kinan Azmeh returns to Washington to join friend Ayman Fanous for a second session of reed and strings (primarily clarinet and 'oud).

Video:

Previous concerts:
St. Mary's - October 9, 2009

Millennium Stage: Shanbehzadeh Ensemble

2010-10-12T18:00:00.029-04:00

Date: October 12, 2010 (Tuesday)
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage
Tickets: free to the general public on a first-come-first-serve basis

Shanbehzadeh Ensemble, directed by Saeid Shanbehzadeh, delights audiences with rhythms and subtle melodies of Bushehr -- an amalgam of the traditions of Persians, Arabs, African, and Indian, who met centuries ago at this cultural crossroads in the south of Iran on the edge of the Persian Gulf. This diversity is the result of an astonishing richness of traditions, where the music plays a vital part in all the aspects of the life: religion, work, social events, dramas and fears.

Social Media:
Facebook
MySpace

Video:

Kennedy Center performance
Shanbehzadeh Ensemble
Duration 01 minutes 24 seconds

Millennium Stage: Furia Flamenca

2010-10-10T18:00:00.021-04:00

Date: October 10, 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 P.M.
Place: Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center
Tickets: free and open to the public

Furia Flamenca is a flamenco dance company which brings the ferocity and passion of flamenco to the stage. Their style is unique: it combines flamenco's gypsy heritage with modern flamenco choreography. The resulting elegant balance of motion and energy makes their performances absolutely enthralling and totally entertaining.

Founded by director Estela Velez in January 2003, Furia Flamenca has taken the best elements of its dancers backgrounds (from flamenco, ballet, Middle Eastern, modern, tap to name a few) and melded them into a sumptuous feast for the eyes, ears, and heart with thier range of expression, ability to entice the audience, and joy for dancing.

Video:
Kennedy Center performance
(2007 Kennedy Center performance)

Iraqi Cultural Center: Safaafir

2010-10-01T20:00:00.001-04:00

Date: October 1, 2010 (Friday)
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Place: Iraqi Cultural Center, 1630 Connecticut AV NW, Washington DC 2007
Tickets: unknown

Safafir returns to Washington for another blow-out performance, this time at the new Iraqi Cultural Center.

Press:
Georgetowner
Washington Post

Video:

Salaam in Washington
Duration: 02 minutes 49 seconds

Sponsors: Iraqi Cultural Office with Embassy Series