Event

Middle Eastern Night with The Shavarsh Kef Ensemble and Alhan Middle Eastern Mus

The Shavarsh Kef Ensemble carries on a Maine tradition of Middle Eastern music started by the late master musician Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian. The ensemble consists of five musicians who have played with, studied with and been inspired by Al: Eric LaPerna, percussion, Amos Libby, oud, Beth Borgerhoff, accordion, Michael Gallant, violin and Steve Gruverman, clarinet. They continue to play a rich mixture of Turkish, Greek, Armenian and Arabic folk and classical music. Alhan Middle Eastern Music Ensemble's repertoire is drawn from compositions of some of the preeminent composers of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Turkey. They also perform Muwashshahat, a classical song form developed in 10th century Andalusia and performed throughout the modern Arab world. The group features Eric LaPerna; riqq and darbuka, Tom Kovacevic; oud, nay and vocals, Madeleine Hanna; lead vocals and frame drum and Michael Gallant; violin. All of the members have studied with some of the leading performers of Middle Eastern Music in the world today, including Simon Shaheen, Bassam Saba, Michel Merhej and the late Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian.