The Score | Midwest Dialogues

Toledo, Ohio was the site for a noteworthy collaboration this fall entitled “Mideast x Midwest: A Dialogue of Music, Food and Fun at America’s Crossroads.” The Toledo Symphony Orchestra and the Michigan-based National Arab Orchestra joined forces for the November 12 concert at Toledo’s Valentine Theatre, led by Toledo Symphony Resident Conductor Sara Jobin and National Arab Orchestra Music Director Michael Ibrahim. Also performing was opera singer Lubana Al-Quntar, a Syrian refugee. The concert featured a new work called Dialogue, with a student chorus from the Toledo public schools, singing in Arabic. A post-concert reception included music, dancing, and food from Toledo-area restaurants. The National Arab Orchestra, comprising musicians from Arab and non-Arab backgrounds, was covered in the Spring 2015 issue of Symphony.