Al-Bustan is pleased to be hosting oud and violin virtuoso Simon Shaheen on February 7 and 8 in Philadelphia.
Simon Shaheen leads a demonstration for educators/musicians at Kimmel Center, November 2008
Mr. Shaheen, an internationally acclaimed Arab music performer, composer, and instructor, is dedicated to teaching Arab music and passing on his knowledge to the younger generation. He is founder/director of the annual summer Arabic Music Retreat, and has taught at Julliard, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell, among others, as well as in Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan.
While in Philadelphia, Mr. Shaheen will lead master workshops with three local ensembles:
- Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble
- Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) School Jazz Band
- Al-Bustan’s Arab Music Ensemble
Each ensemble is learning a composition of Shaheen’s, including Breeze in Bisaan, Saraab, Olive Harvest, Arboresque and Sama’i Kurd, plus Qum Ya Mughani, a song composed by Shaheen’s father Hikmat Shaheen.
On February 7th in the evening, 13 school/college students will audition to join the All-Star Shaheen Music Ensemble which will perform on April 25th at a concert with Mr. Shaheen. The competition jury includes Mr. Shaheen, plus music directors Hanna Khoury, Hafez El Ali Kotain, Marc Johnson and Vincent Rutlandt.
Video clips of Mr. Shaheen’s visit to Philadelphia in 2009 may be viewed here:
SImon Shaheen in January 2009 Workshops
Simon Shaheen with members of Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble, January 2009
For more information about Shaheen’s visit, you may contact Al-Bustan at 267-809-3668.
To read a thoughtful essay by Shaheen, see Beyond the Minor Second, published in December 2006 by Americans for Middle East Understanding.
