past
events
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16 April 2021 - Live streamIraqi music... of Land and People
While over the centuries civilizations flourished and died in a long succession along the banks of Tigris and Euphrates, music never lost its important function in the day to day life of Iraqi people. An age-old heritage of great variety has been accumulated and preserved in the form of folk and religious music. Almost every region along the two rivers kept its own style of country music. Samplings of the richness of Iraqi music are introduced by Salim (Vocalist), Francesco Iannuzzelli (Oud), Azad Zangana (Percussions). Organised by Tadhamun - Iraqi Women Solidarity. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENS4zlrEsNg
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20 September 2020 - Live streamBeating for Beirut
Renovating Beirut’s homes with music. A group of international musicians have volunteered to raise funds through an online concert "Beating for Beirut" where each musician will provide a piece of music for Beirut from their own countries. Organised by First Aid Renovation, with the support of The Smile and Olive Foundation, UK-based charity, and its sister NGO in Lebanon, Basmeh & Zeitooneh. This newly formed initiative of activists, academics, and young volunteers, provides first-aid renovation for houses affected by the Beirut explosion, to make the homes of families safe again. Tickets
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26 June 2020 - Living Room LiveHear the Women Out
One of the many painful knock-on effects of lockdown has been a surge in abuse of women at home. This concert offers a moment to reflect on two intertwined qualities in the lives of women generally: their bodies are subjected to social control and violence, and their creative work is dismissed, suppressed, or appropriated by men. Our lovingly-selected programme emphasises the beauty in hidden voices and stories of women, taking listeners on a journey from Afghanistan to Sicily with stops in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Greece. With Rachel Beckles Willson (voice, sax, oud) and Francesco Iannuzzelli (oud, setar, guitar, rubab). Streamed live by the online music platform Living Room Live
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25 October 2019 - RISC, 35-39 London Street, Reading, RG1 4PSTravel in time through Iraqi music
A concert with oud Francesco Iannuzzelli and Iraqi singer, oud musician and author Sahera Saeed who will take the audience on a musical journey through time. Azad Zangana will introduce us to the making of the oud. Iraqi food and refreshments will be served. Organised by Tadhamun - Iraqi Women Solidarity for the Reading International Festival 2019.
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20 October 2019 - Ellen Wilkinson High School, London, W3 0HWAn Evening of Persian Music
With the ensemble of the teachers of Sornai Music School. Organised by the Jaleh Esfahani Foundation and supported by National Lottery's Community Fund. Tickets on Eventbrite
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29 May 2019 - The Crypt on the Green, St. James Clerkenwell, LondonListenpony #18
Featuring brand new music from Gareth Moorcraft, Aigerim Seilova, Janet Oates, Joss Smith and William Marsey, + a set from Chloe Foy. With contralto Jess Dandy and trumpeter Simon Desbruslais. Info and tickets
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17 April 2019 - Biblioteca Vallicelliana, RomaThe Iraqi Oud school
An evening discovering the Baghdad school, following through photos, anedoctes and live music the path that brought the Oud to become a solo instrument. With music by Sherif Muhiddin Haydar, Jamil and Munir Bashir, Salman Shukur, Naseer Shamma. Part of the series titled "The Lute from the Orient", organised by ISMEO and Oudmigrations. Free entrance. Download concert program
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22 December 2018 - Antico Mercato di Ortigia, SiracusaMORO Festival
Efieasy, Wisdom, Big Top, Yo Dimo, Doubla, and many other boys of the Today is Good project live in Siracusa for the first edition of MORO festival, 3 days of meetings, dj-sets, exhibitions exploring and celebrating "black" music as a universal language, beyond any geographical, linguistic and social barrier.
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28 October 2018 - St. Paul's Cathedral, LondonBarts Health NHS Trust Service
Service of remembrance - Barts NHS Trust hospices
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30 August 2018 - SpiazZō, Zo centro culture contemporanee, CataniaI Racconti del tè - narrazioni di vita e assaggi di viaggi
Tales and tasters in music, from Gambia and Mali. Two young refugees sing their original songs, written during the music workshops organised by Arts against Slavery in refugee camps in Sicily. The project, named Today is Good!, has now also been published as a CD. With Sisqo Blender (Gambia) and Djali (Mali), accompanied by Rachel Beckles Willson (percussions, voice and sax) and Francesco Iannuzzelli (guitar, kora)
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2 August 2018 - NAKA Live Music Bar, Via Tommaso Gargallo 61, Ortigia, SiracusaToday is Good!
Presentation of the newly released CD Today is Good, a compilation of songs written and sung by asylum-seekers in Sicily. The result of several months of music workshops by Rachel and Francesco in the local reception centres for migrants, theses songs will now be performed live, and likely followed by improvisations in all sort of African styles and languages.
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30 June 2018 - St. Ethelburga's Centre, LondonCrossings
Concert of traditional, newly-composed and improvised music which draws together a remarkable array of performers to respond to the extraordinary times in which Europe is living today. With Evgenios Voulgaris (yayli tanbur), Ciro Montanari (tabla), Rachel Beckles Willson (vocals, saxophone, oud), Kostas Tsarouchis (double bass). Launch of the new CD Today is Good, a compilation of songs by recent arrivals from Africa which emerged from a year of workshops in eastern Sicily co-led by Rachel Beckles Willson and Francesco Iannuzzelli.
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29 October 2017 - St. Paul's Cathedral, LondonBarts Health NHS Trust Service
Service of remembrance - Barts NHS Trust hospices
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24 August 2017 - Ex Convent of S. Francesco in Ortigia, Via Gargallo 67, Siracusa, ItalyLo sguardo di Sharbat Gula
A music journey dedicated to women, from Afghanistan to Sicily. With Rachel Beckles Willson (Oud, percussions and voice). Organised by Caffetteria Dolci Evasioni, in collaboration with Civita Sicilia. Images by Steve McCurry. Free attendance.
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11 August 2017 - Atrio Palazzo di Città, Palazzolo Acreide (SR), ItalyRubab & Oud
With Rachel Beckles Willson (Oud, percussions and voice). Part of the concert series "Palazzolo di Notte... in Note". Free attendance.
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24 March 2017 - Room S209, SOAS University, Senate House, LondonAl-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here - Reading
Organised by the SOAS Iraqi Society
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22 March 2017 - P21 Gallery, London, NW1 1JDAway from Home; Memory, Art & Culture
Short solo Oud recital.
Event organised by Tadhamun, Iraqi Women Solidarity -
20 November 2016 - St. Paul's Cathedral, LondonBarts Health NHS Trust Service
Service of remembrance - Barts NHS Trust hospices
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26 October 2016 - Al-Jazeera - Arabic ChannelAl-Jazeera TV
Interview and short performance
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25 October 2016 - Ismaili Centre, LondonNour Festival - Solo Oud recital
As part of Music@One, a performance of Iraqi traditional repertoire for solo Oud. Free attendance.
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14 May 2016 - Ismaili Centre, LondonSornai Ensemble
An evening of Iranian traditional and folk music presented by the Sornai Ensemble, established in 2013 by Veria Amiri and formed by the music teachers of the "House of Art and Music Sornai" plus guest musicians.
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30 April 2016 - Study Society, LondonHejira Ensemble
An Evening of Dance and Music to Celebrate Spring.
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4 December 2015 - Hope Church, LutonSyrian Concert Evening
An advent celebration of Syrian culture: an evening of music, storytelling and food to raise funds for the people of Syria. With Rabiah Anka, singer.
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24 November 2015 - St Paul's Covent Garden, LondonFirefly Gala
Accompanying the Syrian singer Rabiah Anka at Firefly's Gala evening
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15 November 2015 - St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Barts Health NHS Trust Service
Service of remembrance - Barts NHS Trust hospices
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12 November 2015 - K2K RadioMaha's Music & The Nour Festival
Live interview and short performance on Maha's Music radio program
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7 November 2015 - Ismaili Centre, LondonNour Festival - Dafarahn in concert with Hadi Alizadeh
Selected for Nour Festival 2015, Dafarahn presented their original compositions together with arrangements of traditional repertoire Middle-Eastern, accompanied by the virtuoso Iranian percussionist Hadi Alizadeh
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5 November 2015 - Ismaili Centre, LondonNour Festival - Solo Oud recital
Performance of Iraqi traditional repertoire for solo Oud. Free attendance.
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27 September 2015 - Study Society, LondonSuzidil Ensemble
A concert performance of the Beyâtî Âyîn by Köçek Derviş Mustafa Dede
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1 August 2015 - St Clement's church Eastcheap, LondonOud concert
Taqasim Music School Annual Oud Concert, celebrating Middle-Eastern music. With Lennie Charles on percussion
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23 July 2015 - The Calthorpe Project, LondonCadfa Eid Festival
Pro-Palestine event organised by Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association
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2 July 2015 - Iklektik, LondonContempoRelic Festival July 2015
A new encounter of ancient and traditional Eastern and Western music
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30 May 2015 - Calais, FranceFestival "La saveur de l'autr"
With SOAS Arabic Band at the festival La saveur de l'autr, organised by various organisations working with immigrants in Calais
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21 May 2015 - Ars Musica, Munich, GermanyJam the House
First edition of the event Jam the House, which aims to bring local musicians together in an evening of joy and sharing. With Dafarahn, the Turkish folk band "Lucile and the rakibuam" and Munich famous decade old band Embryo
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3 May 2015 - Cockpit Theatre, LondonMuwashshah
A concert of muwashshah poetry and dance songs from al-Andalus and the Arab World
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25 April 2015 - Study Society, LondonSuzidil Ensemble
Ceremonial Music For Whirling Dervishes. A concert performance of the Sûzidil Âyin by Zekai Dede
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18 April 2015 - Sala degli Arazzi, Fondazione Cini, Venice, ItalyEnsemble Birun
Final concert of Birun 2015, Ottoman Music Workshops, under the direction of Kudsi Erguner
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14 April 2015 - Sala San Leonardo, Venice, ItalyDafarahn in Venice
Fund raising evening for the project "Murales Senza Frontiere" in Kurdistan. With Lucile Belliveau on double-bass and Fabio Tricomi on percussion
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4 March 2015 - Ealing Town Hall, LondonNaghamat - Oud concert
With Ehsan Emam, for the opening of his school of Arabic music and singing
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28 February 2015 - St. Ethelburga's Centre, LondonThe Voice of Daf: A Concert of Kurdish Classical and Folk music
An evening of instrumental and vocal music from the four parts of Kurdistan in Sorani, Kurmanj and Kalhor dialects, performed by the SOAS Kurdish Band
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21 February 2015 - Most-Art Centre, LondonNefes
Folk Songs of Turkey performed by the Nefes Ensemble, a London-based group of amateur and professional musicians performing renditions of traditional folk music songs
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19 December 2014 - Import-Export Kantine, Munich, GermanyDafarahn with Hadi Alizadeh
Dafarahn concert with Hadi Alizadeh on Tonbak & Daf. Launch of the CD "Pomegranate Tiles"
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5 November 2014 - High Kensington Library, LondonNour Festival 2014
Accompanying the late poet Fathieh Saudi in a recital of her poetry
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28 September 2014 - JCR, SOAS University, London"Crossing Borders": A mini-festival at SOAS in solidarity with Kurdistan
With the SOAS Kurdish Band
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1 September 2014 - Brunei Gallery, LondonSimin Behbahani memorial
Santur and Oud recital by Peyman Heydarian and Francesco Iannuzzelli for the memorial programme for Simin Behbahani, Iranian poet who passed away in August 2014
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27 June 2014 - St. Ethelburga's Centre, LondonDiscovering the Iraqi Maqam on the Oud
Recital by the Taqasim Music School. With Ahmed Mukhtar, Julian Harris, Francesco Iannuzzelli on Oud, accompanied by Lucile Belliveau (double-bass), Julia Ana Katarina (cello) and Elizabeth Nott (percussions)
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8 June 2014 - SOAS University, LondonLondon Festival of Kurdish Music
Organised by Peyman Heydarian and the SOAS Iranian Music Society. Review by Asfar
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15 May 2014 - Courtauld Gallery, LondonCourt and Craft Exhibition
Concert of Iraqi and Ottoman music with Lucile Belliveau on double-bass for the late night opening of the exhibition Court and Craft: A Masterpiece from Northern Iraq
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28 February 2014 - St Barnabas church, LondonVoices for Peace - Aramaic Chants & Classical Music from Iraq
Solo Oud recital and accompanyment for the Iraqi singer Behnam Keryo. Organised by Tadhamun - Iraqi Women Solidarity
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24 February 2014 - Brunei Gallery, London3rd SOAS Interfaith Music Festival
Sufi music with the ensemble "Fertile Crescent"
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8 February 2014 - SOAS University, LondonSOAS Festival
First Dafarahn concert with bass player Lucile Belliveau and tabla player Sanjay Sankar