Event

Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble performs Turkish Fasil Music

Please join us for a very special evening of Turkish classical vocal and instrumental music from the late 1800's and early 1900's performed by Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble with the authentic additions of qanun and clarinet together for the first time! The Turkish 'fasil' repertoire that we are looking forward to sharing with you in this unique performance represents the popular classical vocal and instrumental songs originating in the late Ottoman period in Turkey that are still performed by numerous ensembles and sung along with by enthusiastic listeners every night in the meyhaneler (musical taverns) of Istanbul and all over Turkey. The dynamic qanun (72 stringed microtonal zither) performance of Duncan Hardy along with the expertly presented clarinet performance of Maria Wagner combine with oud, vocals by Amos Libby and percussion by Eric LaPerna to create our most authentic presentation of classical Turkish music yet. We will also be performing an original composition by our late teacher the great Udi Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian and a contemporary Arabic instrumental piece by one of our teachers, the legendary Lebanese composer, scholar and performer Ali Jihad Racy.