Événement

The Columbia University Middle Eastern Music Ensemble

The Columbia University Middle Eastern Music Ensemble is a performance ensemble devoted to vocal and instrumental music from the Middle East and other nearby regions, including the Arab world, Turkey, Iran, and Central Asia. Directed by Amir ElSaffar, the group's repertoire includes songs and instrumental pieces from folk, popular, and classical genres of the region, emphasizing the many commonalities of the diverse groups in this greater cultural area. The Columbia University Middle Eastern Music Ensemble gives students exposure to a non-Western musical style, and helps develop new sets of skills and sensibilities through weekly rehearsals and an end of semester performance. In this concert, the group will perform several Muwashshahat from Aleppo, as well as an Iraqi maqam, a Turkish Saz Semaisi and Longa, two Azerbaijani songs, and an original instrumental composition by Amir ElSaffar. Additionally, each student will present a composition/improvisation from their own musical works. Special guests from the Alwan Ensemble will join the group for this concert.