Programs
Ija Mia: Music of the Sephardic Diaspora
Ija Mia is a transporting journey through bazaars, kitchens, dance circles, prayer houses and public squares. Daphna Mor and Nina Stern breathe life into ancient forms, braiding together the rich musical traditions of the Sephardic diaspora through North Africa and the Ottoman Empire, inflecting the music with infectious Eastern rhythms, and uniquely steeping their performance in the art of improvisation.
Solstice: Darkness is Your Candle
Featured on the National Gallery of Art and Peak Performances concert series Solstice is as it sounds: a journey from the darkest of darks back to light, exploring the winter solstice, family and new beginnings. Drawing inspiration from a poem by the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi -- commonly known as Rumi -- the program begins in a dark, contemplative mood, including traditional Andalusian and Bulgarian sounds, some of the earliest from these cultures. In the second half, light and liveliness chase away the dark lunar mood, giving way to daylight and rebirth. Along with medieval European estampies, Macedonian, Greek and Serbian melodies give the listener new perspective on light and darkness -- and the journey of human experience.
Baladi: A Rhythmic Journey
Nina Stern and Daphna Mor, together with percussionist/drummers Shane Shanahan and John Hadfield present a concert with special emphasis on rhythm, highlighting Shanahan and Hadfield's cross-cultural styles and thrilling technique. The repertory spans centuries, from 12th-century Armenian chants to original 21st-century improvisations. Baladi is a common Middle Eastern rhythm that becomes entirely uncommon in the hands of these dueling percussionists and recorder players, performing battle songs and dance music that dazzle.
Hamsa: Ancient Symbols
East of the River presents a new program, Hamsa, featuring music from the geographic regions of Andalusia, North Africa, the Ottoman Empire, and the Sephardic Diaspora. Based on music using the melodic modal system referred to as the Maqam, this program mesmerizes listeners with the distinctive beauty of liturgical, folk, and Ottoman courtly music.
Sahel: West meets West
Known for their brilliance in connecting diverse musical cultures, celebrating unique qualities and common threads, East of the River shines in a new program featuring traditional Mandé music of Sub-Saharan West Africa woven together with instrumental music of 14th century western Europe. Evocative and transporting, Sahel escorts the listener to another time and place via the dazzling, dreamlike qualities of this extraordinary music, swirling with the lively sounds of recorders, percussion, and kora, played expertly by North America’s leading interpreters of this mesmerizing repertoire. This program features the kora, a 21-string harp and one of the most iconic instruments of the Mandinka Empire (which had its height in the 12th Century).
Levantera: Easterly Winds
East of the River explores Medieval music of the Mediterranean and travels eastward through the Balkans to Armenia and the Middle East, exploring the earliest songs of those extraordinary cultures, together with their traditional dances — the origins of which go back centuries. In this program East of the River lends its innovative blend of sounds to a fascinating and beautiful repertory much of which is little known to today’s audiences.