The Grinnell Singers will perform _Words Adorned_, a concert of music from Arabic traditions, together with the Al-Bustan Takht Ensemble from Philadelphia on February 25, at 2:00 pm at Sebring-Lewis Hall, Grinnell College. The concert features the Midwestern premiere of two choral cycles by Syrian-American composers Kareem Roustom and Kinan Abou-afach. Their music revisits the past of Arabs in Andalusia by setting to music poetry that originated in Islamic Spain. These works contextualize traditional poetry within contemporary compositions, speaking to modern Arab concerns and to Arab reflections in the Diaspora.
Formed in 2011, the Al-Bustan Takht Ensemble is an initiative of Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, which is dedicated to presenting and teaching Arab culture through the arts and language. The ensemble includes virtuoso musicians Kinan Abou-afach, cellist and composer, and Hafez Kotain, percussionist. The Grinnell Singers are only the second choir to perform this music since it was premiered by the renowned choir, The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally. The music requires specialists in Arabic traditions, which makes it difficult to assemble the necessary musicians. Here is a taste of the Crossing’s outstanding performance of this music:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N8JRgQET40
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