| Home | Past Projects | Press |
| Current Projects |
![]() Al Farabi Concerto is a series of concerts presenting works by exceptionally gifted contemporary composers from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Syria. The concerts are designed to promote the music of Arab composers, alongside that of their Western counterparts, through performances by the UK’s most acclaimed orchestras, soloists and conductors, in London’s main concert venues. Al Farabi Concerto aims to establish high profile and enduring recognition for Arab contemporary classical music within international cultural circles—and also heighten recognition of these talented composers within their own communities. The Al Farabi Concerto series will begin in 2008, in London. Following the London performances, the same programmes will be taken to European concert venues, and to the homelands of the composers in the Middle East. |
|
London Concert Series 2008/9 Introducing new music from ALGERIA EGYPT JORDAN KUWAIT LEBANON MOROCCO PALESTINE SYRIA | |
Thursday 19th June 2008 at 7.30pm, Cadogan HallIn association with the Chelsea Festival NIEUW ENSEMBLE | |
| Garry Walker Bassem Alkhouri Hiba Al Kawas Wafaa Safar |
Conductor Qanun Soprano Ney |
| Franco Donatoni Nouri Iskander (Syria) Rachida Ibrahim (Kuwait) Saed Haddad (Jordan) Tan Dun Hiba Al Kawas (Lebanon) Rasheed Al-Bougaily |
Refrain 1 (1986) Mawal Kurdeli (1990) Music for Ney & Chamber Orchestra (1995)* On Love 1 (2005)* Circle with four trios, conductor & audience (1992) Songs: arranged by Ian Gardiner (2008)** Deewaan (2007) |
| * UK Première ** World Première | |
www.cadoganhall.comwww.chelseafestival.org www.nieuw-ensemble.nl |
|
TICKETS: £32 / £27 / £10 | BOOKING: Chelsea Festival Box Office: 0845 890 2435 online at www.chelseafestival.org |
| VENUE: Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1 | |
Wednesday 15th October 2008 at 7.30pm, Cadogan HallENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | |
| Clark Rundell Mary Bevan Simon Haram |
Conductor Soprano Saxophone |
| Michael Tippett Boghos Gelalian (Lebanon) Benjamin Britten Zaid Jabri (Syria) Mark Anthony Turnage Waleed Howrani (Lebanon) |
Divertimento on 'Sellinger's Round' (1953) Sept Sequences (1967)* Les Illuminations (1939) Two Songs for Soprano (1998)* Lullaby for Hans (2005) Saxophone Concerto (1990)** |
| * UK Première ** World Premiè | |
www.cadoganhall.comwww.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk |
|
Monday 8th December 2008 at 7.30pm, Queen Elizabeth HallLONDON SINFONIETTA | |
| Diego Masson | Conductor |
| Samir Odeh-Tamimi (Palestine) Tansy Davies Ahmed Essyad (Morocco) Simon Holt Amr Okba (Algeria/Egypt) Peter Maxwell-Davies |
Hutaf Al Arwah II (2001)* Iris (2004) 3 Songs from Voix Interdites (2005)* Lilith (1990) Message (2007)* Mirror of Whitening Light (1977) |
| * UK Première ** World Premiè | |
| www.southbankcentre.co.uk www.londonsinfonietta.org.uk |
|
Thursday 5th March 2009 at 7.30pm, Barbican CentreROYAL OMAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | |
| Sir Colin Davis Paul Lewis |
Conductor Piano |
| Beethoven Mozart Brahms |
Leonore Overture No 2 Piano Concerto No 27 in B flat K595 Symphony No 1 in C minor Op.68 |
| Under the gracious patronage of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said | |
| www.barbican.org.uk | |
| Abu Nasr Al Farabi, 9th century Islamic philosopher, (870-950 AD) Al Farabi, known as Al Pharabius in the West, contributed to philosophy, logic, sociology, science and music. He was best known as the ‘Second Teacher’, Aristotle being the First. An expert in music, he contributed to musical notation and invented several musical instruments. His book entitled ‘Kitab al-Musiqa -The Great Book of Music’ is world-renowned. Abu Nasr al-Farabi was born in Farab, studied and taught in Baghdad and Damascus, where he is buried. | |
| Patrons H. R. H. Prince Turki Al-Faisal Alderman Sir Gavyn Arthur Mr Naim Attallah John Austin MP Sir David Blatherwick Mrs Myrna Bustani Sir Colin Davis Sir Peter Maxwell Davies CBE Alan Duncan MP Sir David Frost OBE Ms Frances Guy, HM Ambassador, Lebanon The Rt. Hon. Simon Hughes MP Mrs Haifa Al Kaylani, Chairman, Arab International Women’s Forum Mr George M Magan H. E. Amre Moussa, Secretary General, League of Arab States The Lord and Lady Palumbo | |
| President: Artistic Director: Strategic Sponsor: |
Antar Nakshbandi Oliver Butterworth BMG Foundation |
![]() | |
|
Further International and UK touring of film and concert programmes, including ‘La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc’ with a new score by Paul Robinson. Premiered at the Era New Horizons Festival in Poland last July, Paul Robinson’s new score to Dreyer’s classic silent film received a standing ovation from the capacity audience at the Wroclaw Opera House. ‘La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc’ (110 minutes) was the last silent film by the Danish master Carl Theodor Dreyer and is one of the best-known features in the history of cinema. Performed by the Hilliard Ensemble and Harmonieband, Paul Robinson’s score perfectly complements the visual images through the opposition of antique and contemporary sound worlds, attaching itself to the vernacular music of the period as well as incorporating more abrasive instrumental interludes depicting the mental violence inflicted on the young and defenceless Joan.
www.harmonieband.com www.hilliardensemble.demon.co.uk |