Co-Presented with The Canadian Arabic Ensemble

Tarab in our Time: The Canadian Arabic Orchestra with special guest, Bassam Bishara

Saturday, January 30

Doors: 7pm | Concert: 8pm

The Music Gallery, 197 John St.

Tickets: $35 Regular | $25 Members | $20 Students, Seniors | $30 Advance (or $25 Advance for Group of 4-6): canadian-arabic-orchestra.eventbrite.com

The Canadian Arabic Orchestra presents Tarab in our Time, an evening of contemporary chamber music based on Pan-Arabic maqam traditions and performed on traditional instruments. This concert shall feature works by Marcel Khalife, Naseer Shamma, Charbal Rouhana, Ali Jihad Racy, and Andrew Downing.

Now in its second full season, the Canadian Arabic Orchestra has been connecting people of all cultures with traditional and innovative music based on Arabic traditions, as well as forging links between music of the East and West. The ensemble performs regularly in Toronto and Mississauga and shall soon produce concerts further throughout Ontario.

Bassam Bishara was born in the village of Rama in Upper Galilee, Israel. He started his music education at the Robin Conservatory in Haifa and graduated from the music department of the Hebrew University. Bassam taught Middle Eastern music at the Music Academy in Jerusalem and has performed internationally as a soloist, blending tradition and innovation from traditional Arab compositions and arrangements to jazz, documentary films, and orchestral scores. Bassam moved to Canada in 2001. He teaches Middle Eastern music at York University and is the music director and composer for Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra.

Personnel:

Bassam Bishara, guest artist – oud

Eddy Sulaiman – violin

Wafa Al-Zagal – qanoon

Andrew Downing – cello

James Freeman – percussion