BY QUITTERIE GOUNOT

In print | Published March 4, 2010

Tuesday, Feb. 23 marked the beginning of the Arab Classical Music Series in Philadelphia. This series is comprised of four concerts highlighting the variety and particularities of Arab classical music, a genre distinct from Western classical music. Hosted by the non-profit organization “Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture” in Philadephia, the concert’s overall aim is to be an enriching cultural experience.

Entitled “Music Medley in the Arab World,” the first concert featured music composed by musicians residing both in the Middle East and in the United States. It included compositions by artist Sheikh Savyed Darwish, known as the “soul of the people,” and by famous Egyptian singer and composer Mohammad Abdel Wahad.

The second concert in the series will take place on Thursday, Mar 18. Under the title “Music of Mohammad Abdel Wahad,” it will delve deeper into the life and music of the aforementioned artist. The late Wahad’s creative endeavors extended beyond just regular music, who incorporated his love for singing and performing in musical Egyptian films such as the 1933 hit “The White Flower.” As such, Wahad has become an iconic figure of the 20th century artistic and musical scene in Egypt. Unlike the previous concert, the third concert will focus on Arab music produced by artists living here in the United States. Fans of Simon Shaheen and A.J. Racy, two musicians featured in the first concert of the series, will be glad to hear them again at length.

Originally from Palestine, Simon Shaheen is known for his album “Blue Flame,” an internationally acclaimed fusion of Arab music and jazz, and his performance on the oud, a Middle Eastern instrument resembling the Western lute. A.J. Racy, a Lebanese-born composer and performer, plays traditional Middle Eastern instruments that might be unfamiliar to Western audiences, such as the nay, a reed flute, and the buzuq, another type of lute with a long neck. Racy is currently a professor of ethnomusicology at the University of California Los Angeles. The “Music of Arab American Composers” will take place on Wednesday, April 14.

The last concert of the series, scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, will present the “Music of the Three Musketeers (Al-Fursan Al-Talatha.)” These “three musketeers” are Riad al-Sunbati, Zakariyya Ahmad and Muhammad as-Qasabji. The trio became famous by composing songs together for the greatly acclaimed female Egyptian singer Umm Khaltoum. Although they have played in several ensembles together, the three musketeers each have their own style. While Zakariyya Ahmad has been labeled as the most traditional of the three, the two other musicians borrow heavily from European influences, including in the choice of their instruments, including cello, bass and violin.
For those people familiar with Arab music and culture, these concerts will be a chance to reconnect with something personally and distinctively meaningful. For those with less exposure, it will be a great opportunity to discover a new and different musical experience. Each concert will feature a different facet of the diverse genre of Arab classical music.

All four concerts in the Arab Classical Music Series will be held at the Trinity Center for Urban Life, 22nd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, PA 10103 at 7:30 p.m. The admission fee is $10, to be paid at the door. For more information, please visit the website www.albustanseeds.org.

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