Upcoming performances

SAFAAFIR IRAQI MAQAM ENSEMBLE
IRAQI CULTURAL CENTER
1630 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW
OPENING CONCERT OF THE SEASON
OCTOBER 1, 2010 AT 7:30 PM- $75/reception

Inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Maqam is the classical vocal tradition of Iraq, and one of the most refined maqam traditions in the Arab and Muslim world. 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 neighboring lands, where the term refers to a musical mode on which compositions and improvisations are based. In Iraq, "maqam" refers to the actual compositions, which are highly structured, semi-improvised melodic recitations of Classical Arabic and colloquial Iraqi poetry, that are followed by light-hearted, rhythmic songs, known as pestaat. Typically, the maqam is performed by a singer ("qari’), who is accompanied by an ensemble, known as a Chalghi, which consists of the santour (96-string hammered dulcimer), jowza (bowed spike fiddle), riqq (tambourine), and dumbek (goblet drum).

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TILL FELLNER, PIANO
EMBASSY OF AUSTRIA
3524 INTERNATIONAL COURT, NW
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2010 AT 3 PM
ALL-BEETHOVEN- IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART- $50/reception 

Till Fellner finishes his mammoth Beethoven tour in the USA with a marvelous program of sonatas. Born in Vienna, Till Fellner studied with Helene Sedo-Stadler before going on to study privately with Alfred Brendel, Meira Farkas, Oleg Maisenberg and Claus-Christian Schuster. Fellner has performed with many of the world's most famous orchestras and has appeared in major concert halls and at important festivals in Europe, the United States and Japan. Till Fellner will play all Beethoven piano sonatas in a cycle that spans 7 concerts during 2 seasons. The complete cycle was presented in New York, Tokyo, London, Paris and Vienna and other cities. Till Fellner has recorded numerous CDs, the latest release was Bach’s “The Welltempered Klavier, Book I” (ECM Records).

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MUSIC FROM THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT (CA. 1680- 1750)