Hope: Celebrating the music of Iraq, Turkey and Greece
September 10, 2016
2:23 pm
London,UK
Rich Mix London
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Arts Canteen & Celebrate Life Events present :
AMAL, hope – celebrating the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Greece.
Arts Canteen and Celebrate Life Events bring together their collective strengths on the arts scene in London to present an evening of powerful, heartfelt performances by some of the best artists from the Middle East and Greece based in London.
We’re living in a world that’s increasingly filled with sad news from many places, while at the same time, people from all walks of life want to live happy, creative and peaceful lives.
We all want a better world to live in and a supportive community that allows us to be ourselves.
Music speaks a universal language that can touch us all, and the mediums of storytelling and film can inspire and educate allowing us to feel things beyond the words spoken
We’re delighted and excited to have following artists performing for Amal event on Sept 10th who feel strongly about a better world to live in.
Exceptional performances from some of artists from the Middle East.
– Olcay Bayir
‘an impressive newcomer to London’s vibrant global music scene…This is an elegant and often gently exquisite set.’ 4**** – The Guardian
“Neva/Harmony” 5***** Album choices – fRoots Magazine
Inspired by the meeting of Asian and Mediterranean musical traditions, singer, songwriter and composer Olcay Bayir’s pronounced as “ Oljai ” songs unfold stories of Anatolian love and mystery.
Olcay Bayir is from #Turkey of #Kurdish origin, based in #London and is a classically trained soprano with a velveteen voice like no other. On her stunning debut album, “Neva/Harmony”, her Western training collides perfectly with her passion for the rich musical heritage of her #Anatolian homeland, allowing her to craft intricate and unusual melodic phrases, distinct harmonies and captivating, richly-layered textures.
Her contemporary sound incorporates elements of folk , jazz and neo-classical with evocative vocal deliveries through her original compositions and arrangements of folk songs from Mediterrannean , Anataolian and Mesopotamian sources for a world fusion result.
Olcay’s sensitive portrait of Anatolian culture sketches shade and light on the region’s fascinating musical interplay.
Bonnendis
– rxaggelitikos, a traditional tune from the island of Rhodes performed by trio Bonnendis
Lyra: Thodoris Ziarkas
Laouto: Nikos Ziarkas
Recorders: Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
– There is a jewel in every story and expect to be mesmerised by stories from :
Storytellers
Alia Alzougbi
Alia is an award-winning, dynamic storyteller with a breadth of tales from around the world. Having grown up around the Middle East (Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan), and coming from a Muslim cultural background, she specialises in stories from the Islamic and Middle Eastern traditions. Her bi-lingual English/Arabic education means that she can extract stories written in Arabic and confidently translate and rework them for an English-speaking audience.
Alia has been involved in teaching in schools for many years, and has developed CPDs, schools workshops and resources using storytelling around improving literacy through oracy. She is also currently developing a CPD and resource for the Historical Association around storytelling for the new national curriculum. In 2011, she was awarded the Best Storyteller award by the Fringe Report. Prior to that she had been nominated for a BAFTA Scotland in the category of Best Performance in Film. A confident performer who has appeared on BBC Arabic Radio and Television, Alia is also a strong facilitator who is among the core teaching staff at the British Museum.
– Short film with ‘live’ soundtrack featuring the words of Peace Ambassador Prem Rawat
– Attab Haddad working magic on the oud
Haddad holds degrees in Business Management and Sound Engineering as well as a Master’s degree with Distinction in Music Performance.
He studied the oud with Ahmed Mukhtar in London, and with Nihad El-Sayed and the renowned virtuoso Naseer Shamma at the Arab Oud House in Cairo.
He has collaborated with countless artists in many genres as co-composer, producer, musician and session player and featured as a guest on various albums. He is a key member of the contemporary Flamenco group Candela and Classical crossover group The Sabina Rakcheyeva Ensemble, as well as being a founding member of the successful Flamenco fusion band Alcazaba. His work has featured on BBC Radio 3, Radio Scotland and Resonance FM as well as on various Middle Eastern TV Channels and he has performed in the UK, Europe, USA, Middle East and India to much acclaim.
– DJ Sebastian Merrick
Serving hybrid and eclectic mix of Middle Eastern, Asian Balkan Anatolian & Oriental Gypsy Funk out of the ordinary.