April 18, 2024
Shaheen will be accompanied by Firas Zriek on the qanoun, Rami Abuolaya on the nay and Tareq Rantisi on percussion.
Simon Shaheen ranks among the most important Arab musicians, performers and composers of his generation, masterfully performing everything from traditional Arabic music to modern jazz on the oud (a short-necked lute that is a staple of the Arab music tradition) and the violin. For this program, Shaheen will be accompanied by Firas Zriek on the qanoun, Rami Abuolaya on the nay, and Tareq Rantisi on percussion.
An Israeli-American of Palestinian origin, Shaheen is a professor of music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arabic music, while also forging ahead to new frontiers, embracing many different styles in the process. This unique contribution to the world of arts was recognized when Shaheen was honored with the prestigious National Heritage Award at the White House.
His concert credits include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Cairo’s Opera House, the Theatre de la Ville in Beirut and Belgium’s Le Palais des Arts. Additionally, Shaheen has collaborated in performances and recordings with world-renowned artists including Sting, Carlos Santana, Quincy Jones, Al Dimeola, David Brubeck, Mohammad Abdul Wahhab, Bill Laswell, Jeff Beck and others. 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 New York State Music Fund, the Jerome Foundation, Continental Harmony, Chamber Music America, the Library of Congress and the Yellow Springs Institute.
Other honors and awards Shaheen has received include The City of New York Cultural Award, the UCLA Department of Music Recognition Award, an Honorary Doctorate from the American University of Beirut, the United Nations Outstanding Artistic Contribution Award, the Arthur L. Johnson Award for Social Justice, and the Berklee College of Music Award for contributions to the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and education.
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Further information
- Location: Rubendall Recital Hall
- Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
- Cost: Free