Journey Into Middle Eastern Music

Journey Into Middle Eastern Music

Spice Route Ensemble

This program takes audiences on a journey over the ancient spice routes and offers an experience of some of the world’s oldest musical traditions. Long-distance trade played a major role in the cultural, religious and artistic exchanges that took place among the major centers of civilization in Europe and Asia throughout antiquity. The Spice Route Ensemble brings these traditions into a contemporary context. The instruments, songs, and dances from Egypt, Greece, Israel and Lebanon are presented in an interactive format that encourages student participation. Percussions, voice, oud, violin, and bass bring to life to the complex rhythms and modes of the Middle East and Mediterranean. Bruce Kaminsky brings a quality of immediacy to his musical narrative by relating the sounds of the East to the sounds he hears when walking down 69th Street in his West Philadelphia neighborhood. Bruce has noted that students relate with surprising ease to the complex, odd-time meters the ensemble teaches, and the unfamiliar dance steps. Student interactions with the ensemble members make this a memorable occasion, often bringing the entire room to its feet.

"Journey Into Middle Eastern Music" debuted just before our country’s tragedy on September 11th. Since then, the program has taken on a much greater meaning as it introduces students to cultures that may be foreign to them and helps to break down cultural barriers that may have been caused by heightened political tensions throughout our world.

Bruce Kaminsky (bass) is joined by Adib Rafela (violin), Michelle Tayoun (percussions and voice), and Bill Koutsouros (oud and percussions). Joe Tayoun (percussions) substitutes regularly with the ensemble.

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