Event

3rd Annual Maqam Fest

MAQAM FEST 2014 is the annual showcase for the Association of Perfoming Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference, presented by Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CTMD) and Alwan for the Arts.

The Third Annual Maqam Fest features exceptional ensembles from New York and around the world that have a unique approach and perspective on maqam. Developed more than a thousand years ago, maqam is a complex system of musical modes and represents one of the great legacies of the Arab-Islamic world, pervading the musical cultures from the Maghreb (Northwest Africa) to Western China, and from the Balkans to the Sudan.

Maqam Fest 2014 celebrates a line-up that pays tribute to this tradition featuring long-honored ancient practices, explorations of historic ties between diverse musical styles and an examination of contemporary compositions and improvisations. This showcase is part of the Annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference, one of the most anticipated events in the performing arts field, which brings thousands of presenters, agents, managers and artists in the fields of dance, theater and music from around the world to New York City each January.

MAQAM FEST 2014 LINE UP
Eva Salina: Re-imagined Songs of Balkan Legends
Quraishi: Reflective rubab from Afghanistan
Sazet Band: High-Octane Romani Horns
Kinan Azmeh: Soaring clarinet improvisations over hypnotic grooves
Tarek Yamani: Afro-Tarab Jazz and Arab Intersections
Mitra Sumara: Farsi Funk of Pre-Revolutionary Iran
Alwan Ensemble: Vibrant Explorations of Arab Tradition