The UCSB Middle East Ensemble will present extended sets of Greek music (introduced to the Ensemble by Voula Aldrich), Persian music (directed by Bahram Osqueezadeh), Tunisian music (directed by Jared Holton), and Kurdish, Turkish, and Zaza music from Turkey (introduced to the Ensemble by Nesrin Gurhan). Javid John Mosadeghi will be solo vocalist for two of these songs. The Ensemble will also present a song by the most famous Arab singer of the 20th century, Umm Kulthum (c.1900 – 1975), featuring Steven Thomson. Bahram Osqueezadeh will also present an instrumental solo on the Persian santur. Other solo vocalists include Sam Khattar and Alexander Karvelas.

As always, the Ensemble’s Dance Company will perform a wonderful variety of dances, from northwestern Egypt, Cairo, Iran, and Zaza culture of Turkey, with choreographies by Cris! Basimah, Nesrin Gurhan, Shahrzad Khorsandi, and Egypt’s most famous dance choreographer, Mahmud Reda. The program will also feature a special solo dance by Elvan, a former core member of the Ensemble’s Dance Company.

$15 general | $10 non-UCSB students | $5 UCSB students | Free children under 12music.ucsb.edu/news/purchase-tickets or (805) 893-2064

UCSB Middle East Ensemble Dance CompanyPHOTO BY ZHITONG ZHENG

Department of Music

Middle East Ensemble

Scott Marcus, Founder & Director Sue Rudnicki, Percussion Director | Cris! Basimah, Dance Company Director

SAT, MAR 7, 2020 | 7:30 P.M. | LOTTE LEHMANN CONCERT HALL

ElvanDance Soloist

Bahram OsqueezadehDirector of the Persian Set

and santur soloist