Conductor Michael Ibrahim founded the National Arab Orchestra a decade ago with the mission of preserving the classical and contemporary traditions of Arab music, while bridging social and cultural barriers through music education, outreach and performance,” writes Lawrence Elizabeth Knox in Saturday’s (11/16) Houston Chronicle. On November 16, “the Detroit-based ensemble, featuring musicians of both Arab and non-Arab backgrounds, [made] its Houston debut in Stude Concert Hall at Rice University. The program [included] pieces from the traditional, classical canon of Arab music by Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez and the Rahbani Brothers, as well as newly arranged, original works by Marwan Khoury, Nehme and Ibrahim…. Ibrahim visited [Houston] in early October to work with the newly formed Arabic Youth Choir … at the Arab American Cultural and Community Center. Throughout the rehearsal process, 19 students, ages 15 to 20, have not only learned to sing in Arabic, but they’ve gained an understanding of the meaning behind the music and the culture.” Said Ibrahim, “We want to change the narrative, and you do that by sharing who you are…. The arts can show you what the soul of a people is.”
Posted November 20, 2019
