Shaping Historical Narratives: Historic First U.S. Tour by Ensembles of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music
Ensembles of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music will perform in Washington, D.C. at the prestigious Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.
The concert will feature a fascinating blend of traditional Afghan and classical Western music. As well as demonstrating their mastery of orchestral and keyboard instruments, the performers will draw on their homeland’s own rich musical heritage, playing on traditional stringed instruments such as the rubab and sitar, and the tabla drum. The Afghanistan National Institute of Music is headed by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast. The tour to the United States of students from the Institute is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, The World Bank, The Carnegie Corporation, and the Asian Cultural Council.
The experience will be further enriched by collaborations with the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, with whom they will perform at the Kennedy Center, and the Scarsdale High School Orchestra, which will join them at Carnegie Hall. The performances will also feature a guest appearance by award-winning Russian violinist Mikhail Simonyan. The repertoire includes original arrangements of Ravel’s Bolero and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, bringing an eastern flavor to these well-loved favorites.
This is a FREE event. Tickets will be distributed (two per person in line) on Thursday, February 7, 2013, in the Hall of Nations, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
PROGRAM
Awal Mir/Salim Sarmast: Da zemong Ziba Watan
Afghan Folk Song: O Badim Chashman
Indian Traditional: Raga
Afghan Traditional/William Harvey: Lariya for Violin, Rubab, and Chamber Orchestra
Vivaldi/William Harvey: The Four Seasons of Afghanistan
Afghan Traditional/Salim Sarmast: Shakoko jan
Performance Timing: 1 hour
For more information, please visit:
www.afghanistannationalinstituteofmusic.org
www.kennedy-center.org
www.afghanistancouncil.com
www.embassyofafghanistan.org
www.afghansportsfederation.com