Naomi Shihab Nye

An Evening of Music and PoetryAl-Bustan is pleased to present internationally acclaimed poet and novelist NAOMI SHIHAB NYE in a literary and musical evening with Al-Bustan Takht Ensemble.[highlight]Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 8 PMLocation: Trinity Center for Urban Life22nd and Spruce St (see map)[/highlight] [activatebtn]PURCHASE TICKETS[/activatebtn] The evening will consist of three parts:Opening:Music performance by The Philadelphia Arab Music EnsembleMain program:Poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye and music by Al-Bustan Takht EnsemblePost-concert Reception:Enjoy conversation and light refreshments after the concert[highlightsm]Naomi Shihab Nye is an acclaimed Palestinian-American poet, novelist, teacher and anthologist. A self-described “wandering poet,” Ms. Nye has spent more than thirty years traveling across America and around the world, leading writing workshops that inspire children and adults alike. Born in the U.S. to a Palestinian father and American mother, her writings reflect the intricacies of living as a product of two worlds. Throughout the twenty volumes that she has written or edited for readers of all ages, Ms. Nye’s work emphasizes her desire to build bridges for peace in the midst of dissonance and diversity. Her poetry and prose, which places special emphasis on the nuances of the “ordinary,” has been featured on National Public Radio, PBS, and literary magazines across the country. Ms. Nye has been recognized as a Guggenheim Fellow, a Witter Bynner Fellow at Library of Congress, and a visiting professor of creative writing at universities across the U.S. She has received numerous coveted poetry prizes in praise of her writing. Most notably, in 2001, her work garnered national attention when a book of poems, 19 Varieties of Gazelle, was named as a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award[/highlightsm] [highlight]THE TURTLE OF OMAN – Reading and Book SigningSaturday, December 13, 2014 10:30am – 12pmLocation: University of Pennsylvania Bookstore – 2nd Floor – 3601 Walnut Street, Philadelphia[/highlight] Naomi Shihab Nye will read excerpts from her recently published book, followed by Q&A, and book signing. Light refreshments will be served. FREE, open to children and families.Learn more about The Turtle of Oman. Read interview with Nye. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgholzNHz_U[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biJ3FP8aDjY[/embed] Al-Bustan Takht Ensemble is comprised of four musicians, three of whom are recent recipients of the Pew Fellowship for the Arts for their exemplary talent in Arab music: Hanna Khoury on violin, Hicham Chami on qanun, Kinan Abou-afach on cello, and Hafez Kotain on percussion.The Philadelphia Arab Music Ensemble and Philadelphia Arab Percussion Ensemble are comprised of community members and students interested in learning and performing Arab music. Led by Music Director/Violinist Hanna Khoury and Percussionist Hafez Kotain, with cellist Kinan Abou-afach, the Ensembles meet on Thursday evenings at University of Pennsylvania and include singers, instrumentalists, and percussionists. The Ensembles are supported by University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Music and Greenfield Intercultural Center.This program is made possible by the generous support of the William Penn Foundation and Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Arts’ Building Bridges Program