programs_6_arabamericancomposers

“Musiqa al-Ghurba” The Music of Arab American Composers

The Arabesque Music Ensemble devoted its first recording projects/concert tours to legendary Arab composers from the “golden age” of classical Arabic music: Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh, Riyad al-Sunbati, Mohammad al- Qasabji, Zakariyya Ahmad, and Mohammed ‘abd al-Wahhab. These Egyptian composers were leading figures in estab- lishing the timeless repertoire that continues to influence Arab musicians and inspire generations of listeners. In performing these classic works for North American audiences, the Arabesque Music Ensemble paid tribute to this enduring legacy.

For its newest project, the Arabesque Music Ensemble chose to focus on living legends of Arabic music in the U.S. These Arab-American composers represent the most accomplished and venerated contributors to the modern repertoire. Youssef Kassab, Simon Shaheen, and Ali Jihad Racy all bring their native heritage to their compositions, remaining faithful to the turath while incorporating uniquely American expressions. Members of the Arabesque Music Ensemble have personally worked and studied with each composer and honor the role that each has played in keeping the tradition of Arabic music alive in the American cultural landscape.

Youssef Kassab

Originally from Syria, Kassab began learning the ‘ud and studying voice with his uncle at early age.

As a teenager, he continued his studies at the Damascus Conservatory, specializing in qanun and the classical Arabic music vocal repertoire. He recorded and performed with the Syrian Radio Orchestra as a vocalist.

In 1970, Kassab moved to New York City and has performed in concerts and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. In 1982, he joined the Near Eastern Music Ensemble as a principal vocalist. Kassab is one of the master performers of classical forms such as the Arabic muwashshahat (classical Arabic/Andalusian vocal music), Al-Qudud Al-Halabiyya (traditional vocal repertoire from Aleppo, Syria), and 19th- and early 20th-century Egyptian vocal music. Kassab currently performs with the Arabesque Music Ensemble.

Ali Jihad Racy

Professor Racy is one of the world’s foremost experts on Arab music, credited with studying and documenting numerous musical traditions throughout the Arab world. An accomplished performer, composer, and ethnomusicologist, he has inspired a generation of students and artists in this country and abroad.

Racy was born in Lebanon, where he performed regularly on television and in concerts, while presenting a weekly radio program on world music. Internationally known for his scholarly work, he has conducted field research and is credited with over 75 publications. Topics include the laments of Lebanon, Bedouin music, musical change and sound recording in early-20th century Cairo, improvisation, music of the Arab Gulf region, and folk instruments of the Near East.

At UCLA, Racy teaches seminars on the musical cultures of the Middle East and is the director of the Near East Music Ensemble. He has performed in major theaters, includingCarnegieHall,the Kennedy Center, and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,andhas composed and performed music for television, feature, and documentary films. Included in his work is the ten-part series, The Arabs, shown on British television and on PBS in the U.S.

Racy also joined the Kronos Quartet in the world premiere of his Zaman Suite, which he composed for the Quartet, and has appeared on a Kronos CD release. He has performed on a number of Middle Eastern instruments with the Sacramento Symphony and Livermore-Amador Symphony in his composition entitled The Arab World: A Sea of Memories, orchestrated by Arthur Barnes of Stanford University.

Simon Shaheen

A Palestinian, born in the village of Tarshiha in the Galilee, Shaheen’s childhood was steeped in music. His father, Hikmat Shaheen, was a professor of music and a master ‘ud player. “Learning to play on the ‘ud from my father was the most powerful influence in my musical life,” Shaheen recalls. He began playing the ‘ud at the age of five, and a year later began violin study at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Jerusalem.

After graduating from the Academy of Music in Jerusalem in 1978, Shaheen was appointed its instructor of Arab music, performance, and theory. Two years later he moved to New York City to complete his graduate studies in performance at the Manhattan School of Music, and later in performance and music education at Columbia University. As a composer, Shaheen has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer, the Jerome Foundation, Continental Harmony, and Yellow Springs Institute. In addition to his recorded work, his theatrical repertoire includes MajnunLayla(performances included the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and Museum of Natural History in New York), The Book and the Stranger (from Kalilah Wa-Dimanah), Possible City, and Collateral Damage with actress Vanessa Redgrave. He has also written the music for the documentary of the British Museum’s Egyptian collection, which has toured U.S. museums.

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