National Arab Orchestra • 2018-2019 Season
18-19 SEASON
Contents
On t h e C ov e r
Welcome ................................................................... 5 Board of Directors ................................................... 6 Mission Statement ................................................... 7 Meet the Orchestra ................................................. 8 Founder and Music Director ................................ 10 Building Bridges Through Music ......................... 1 1 Meet Our Vocalists ................................................ 1 4 Mentorship Program ............................................. 18 Program ................................................................. 20 AANM Partnership ............................................... 2 8 Partnership Spotlight ........................................... 30
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The design of the concert poster mirrors the Motown concert posters of the early 1960s where it was customary to include photos of performing artists. The inclusion of Abdel Halim, whose career began to peak in the 60s can be seen as a connection between the Middle East and Metro Detroit, where the largest population of Arabs outside the Arab world have emigrated to and settled. About the Artist Fine artist, illustrator and creative director Haifa Jamalieh is best known for her colorful illustrations and design work. She has worked for clients around the world including Hilton, Philip Morris, General Motors, the Ritz-Carlton, The Miami Foundation, The
A MESSAGE
from our founder and music director
PROGRAM NOTES
Knight Foundation, and United Way, among many others. Haifa’s work focuses on cultural expression, exploring the narratives of Arab American communities through the use of traditional and symbolic imagery that orbit around the objects and people in her life.
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NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA
Welcome
What a gift it is to come together tonight to share this rich and diverse musical experience. There are so many “firsts� to be presented this evening: from our presenting partnership with St. Jude of Iraq, our amazing guest artists and vocalists, to our largest Building Bridges through Music presentation, this concert promises to be an evening to remember. We are honored to bring such talented and dedicated artists from all over the country together to bring to life this inspirational music in fresh new ways. Finally, we are delighted and grateful to each and everyone of you who show up, each in your own way, to do whatever you can to bring our greater community together. One of my favorite poems is by Edward Everett. It reads as follows:
I am only one But still I am one I cannot do everything But still I can do something And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Enjoy the show! Much love,
Sherri Richards Executive director P.S. We have a fantastic season around the corner to celebrate our 10th year in operation. Stay tuned!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
C o-Fou n de r / Ch a ir m a in
Usama Baalbaki
E x ec u t i v e Di r ec t or
Sherri Richards
Sec r e ta ry
Tina Farhat
treasurer
Michael Ansara
Fou n de r / Music Director C o-Fou n de r Di r ec t or s
Michael Ibrahim
Dr. Vasken Artinian Karen Barbee Adkisson Fahd Al-Hassan Dr. Lester Monts Siham Awada-Jaafar
NAO Spot l igh t Usama Baalbaki is of Lebanese descent and was born in Kuwait. He began studying music at the age of eight learning to play the ‘oud and accordion, eventually playing and singing at the age of twelve on “Mamma Anisa,” a Kuwaiti children’s television program. Moving to the USA in 1987, Usama established himself as an active performer whose musical ability has led him to travel across the nation; sharing the stage with many great artists from the Middle East and the United States, including artists such as Tony Bennet. As a result of his singing and community involvement, Usama played the role of Egyptian composer and singer, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, in the play Rasasa fi al Qalb written by Tawfik Hakim. In 1999 Usama received the AMAL award from ANA/MBC Radio and TV in Washington D.C. for the best Arab American vocalist. Usama currently serves as Chairman on the Board of Directors for the National Arab Orchestra and has been a long time and committed supporter of the NAO since 2009.
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MISSION STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT To create memorable musical experiences through education and performance with emphasis on the musical traditions of the Arab World.
t he nat iona l a r a b orchest r a The National Arab Orchestra (NAO) is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization that aims to preserve and integrate Arab culture through music education, outreach, and performance. Founded in 2009 and established in 2010, the National Arab Orchestra is home to the Orchestra, the NAO Takht Ensemble (NAOTE), and the NAO Community Choir (NAOCC). The NAO is dedicated to preserving and performing the classical and contemporary traditions of Arab music and provides opportunities that will bridge social and cultural barriers through music. The NAO was originally a takht; a small chamber music group comprised of ‘oud (Arab lute), qanun (Arab harp), violin, nay (Arab reed flute), and riqq (Arab tambourine). Since then, the ensemble has grown to become an orchestra under the direction of its founder, Michael Ibrahim. The orchestra is comprised of musicians of both Arab and nonArab backgrounds who are either students or professional musicians in the community.
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MIDEAST IN MOTOWN
Meet the
Orchestra
Violin (Kamanja)
Cello:
Layth AlRubaye
George Crotty
Bengisu Gokce Laura Harada Jumanah Hassan
Conductor
Emad Ibrahim*
Michael Ibrahim
Insia Malik
Concert Master
Katherine Van Dusen
Emad Ibrahim
Ceren Turkmenoglu Sachiyo Yoshimoto
† Conductor/Director
Viola
*Concert Master
Megan Gould
**Guest Artist
Roberto Riggio Andrea Vercoe
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NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA
Double Bass: Johnathan Hammonds
Qanun (Arab Harp): Jamal Sinno
Oud (Arab Lute): Victor Ghannam
Nay (Arab Reed Flute): Michael Ibrahim †
Syntheseizer:
Vocalists (Mutrib/Mutribah):
Haitham Zbib
Emma Aboukasm** Lubana Al Quntar
Electric Guitar:
Hamid Al Saadi**
Edward Gedeon
Mohannad Mchallah
Percussion (Iqa'):
Auxillary:
Eddy Fadel
Ryan Bills (Alto Saxophone)
Ryan Paul Gates
Amir El Saffar** (Trumpet / Santoor)
Roger Kashou
Garret Gaina (Baritone Saxophone)
Gilbert Mansour
Max Popkin (Trumpet)
Dr. Gursharan Singh Sandhu
Joseph Wright (Trombone)
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NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA
FOUNDER AND MUSIC DIRECTOR
A message from the
Founder and Music Director Welcome to the National Arab Orchestra’s MidEast in MoTown Concert! Tonight's event celebrates the Arab American community’s long-standing history in the Metro Detroit Area. The Middle East is a diverse group of cultures that is connected by shared space, language, and common cultural practices - all of which can be demonstrated through music.
"The Middle East is a diverse group of cultures that is connected by shared space, language, and common cultural practices - all of which can be demonstrated through music." For the past decade the National Arab Orchestra has been celebrating this diversity through its performances and educational programming.
This evening will feature
world-class artists from across the country and around the globe, as well as over 130 students from three different high schools who have participated in our Building Bridges through Music program. Looking back at the last 10 years, I cannot help but be filled with pride over our accomplishments. We have grown from a small group of seven students and community members, to a National organization that is actively changing the narrative in a time where the Arab American community is facing bias, misconception, and prejudice. I hope you will enjoy tonight’s concert and thank you for supporting your National Arab Orchestra. Cheers,
Michael Ibrahim Founder / Music Director
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I joined the Building Bridges Through Music program because I know how beautiful diversity
BUILDING BRIDGES Through Music
can be when we come together.
Aimee DuPont Student
The Building Bridges Through Music (BBTM) program is designed to teach students about the beauty and richness of the Arab culture while providing opportunities for cultural understanding and enrichment.
Choir Director, Edsel Ford High School
Choir Director, Chelsea High School
Robert Doyle
Steve Hinz
Choir Director, Fordson High School
Program Director
Matthew Laura
Michael Ibrahim
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BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH MUSIC
Chelsea High School Joshua Ashley
Gabriella Grobsmith-Colon
Rachel Bareis
Amanda Happy
Sage Barney
Zachary Handloser
Eleanor Beale
Katelyn Hackett
Isabel Benedict
Hailee Hawkins
Gabrielle Bowles
Rachel Hein
Claire Bowers
Andrew Higgins
Chloe Braman
Carlie Hodel
Marianna Carpenter
Shaylee Holmberg
Weiyi Chen
Ashley Kasper
Madelyn Clippert
Sarah Kennings
Marissa Cochran
Lucas King
Grace Davis-Annis
Klara Kuebler
Mya Dever
Emily Ligi
Abigail Dobos
Amelia Loveland
Makayla Edmundson
Elizabeth Ligi
Nadya Fernandez
Morgan Majeske
Erin Frank
Avery Marshall
Kelsey Gibbons
Lilian Maynard
Khai Gibbons
Mallory Meads
Ella Girard
Laura Mosier
Jessica Neff Amelia Nelson Elena Nestale Karrisa O’Quinn An Phan Madelynne Quinn Georgia Reynolds Lidia Rosario Naomi Rose Iliah Sarna Riley Scritchfield Alayna Seaberg Alexa Schumann Sophie Sjogren Zachary Spitzley Melody Stone Linh Tran Hayley Vandehey Katherine Wickman
Edsel Ford High School Alyssa Appleba
Katherine Hawkins
Caroline Armstrong
Nora Heaton
Angelica Benford
Brandon Hodi
Katia Beydoun
Lucas Hoeft
Matthew Birchenough
Nakiya Jefferson
Catherine Dicks
Terez Johnson
Elizabeth Dicks
Monera Kaid
Tavion Dorsey
Mya Khatter
Meghan Duncan
Miranda Manszweski
Nathanael Ferguson
Deborah Masters
Rosiley Frye
Daekotah McFarland
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Abigail Pitts Kyle Quinn Hailey Rayburn Savanah Rayburn Helena Salliotte-Roseberr Aseel Snober Caitlin Vandinter Oscar Vasquez-Torres Nathaniel Wall
BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH MUSIC
Fordson High School Soumaya Abbas
Walid Alfassih
Safia AbouLaila
Niven Elhorani
Sara Ahmad
Nour Hannaoui
Fatima Ajami
Inaam Harajli
Jamila Alasady
Maya Hussein
Raghd Albahairi
Hassan Fawaz
Kawthar Alethary
Sonia Gomez
Abdullah Alhaiqi
Selwa Isa
Zainab Alrebaie
Sabrina Itawi
Ali Altaee
Amal Khalil
Feryal Aoun
Jenna Kobeissi
Jihad Bazzi
Nadine Mansi
Maya Berry
Aya Mouslmani
Kristen Betz
Mariam Mozham
Jasmine Beydoun
Aya Muheisen
Hebah Chakarani
Wisam Obeid
Maryam Olayan Mandy Omari Sarah Qaddoumi Saja Ridha Sara Ridha Leila Rouston Najwa Saleh Jasmine Sanroman Mohamed Sleiman Lydia Slim Dynata Smith Baneen Thani Hassan Yassine
Jasmine Beydoun
8 P.M. FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019 PRESENTS
$10 MUSEUM MEMBERS
$12 STUDENTS + SENIORS $15 GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS: www.bit.ly/47SAANM
MAKING ITS MICHIGAN DEBUT
on its first-ever North American tour, this Palestinian quartet renowned for inventing their own genre, Shamstep, celebrates new release Balfron Promise with a dance party in The Annex @ AANM. Detroit- based songstress/poet/ painter/DJ Tammy Lakkis opens.
MEET OUR VOCALISTS Lubana Al Quntar Mohannad Mchallah Hamid Al-Saadi Emma Lee Aboukasm
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VOCALISTS
LUBANA AL QUNTAR Lubana Al Quntar comes from a Syrian family that is deeply rooted in classical Arabic music. She is related to singer/actress Amal Al Atrash (known by her stage name, Asmahan) and her brother, renowned composer and singer Farid Al Atrash. These connections influenced her musical path and played an important role in her decision to seek a career as a professional singer. Born in Syria, she began singing at an early age and had an unusual gift for singing challenging sung poetry from childhood. Today Lubana performs a wide a range of repertoire within the Arab music canon which include music from the classical, contemporary, folk, and pop genres. Her expressive voice allows her to add luster and richness to the various singing styles. In addition to traditional Arab song, Lubana studied opera and became the first Syrian opera singer to attain international recognition, as she appeared in concerts throughout Europe. She returned to head the Department Department of Opera Singing and launched the Department of Classical Arabic Singing at the Syrian National Conservatory. This was a ground-breaking event because, for the first time, students could study both operatic and traditional singing at an accredited institution. She established the Arabic Music Singing Ensemble that performed across the Middle East. She came to the United States in 2012 and has since performed in numerous venues across the country in addition to her European performances.
MOHANNAD MCHALLAH A native of Aleppo, Syria, Mohannad Mchallah is a professional singer of Middle Eastern Music who was born in 1979. He has performed across the Middle East and was selected to participate in Super Star 2 (2004), a television show based on the popular British show Pop Idol that also spawned American Idol. He ultimately won sixth place. Following his success on Super Star, Mohannad has gone on to record six singles and composed many other songs! In 2011 he preformed at the San Francisco Opera world premier "Heart of a Soldier" and was great successes!
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MIDEAST IN MOTOWN
Our Guest Artists Hamid Al-Saadi, Iraq's foremost purveyor of the revered Iraqi Maqam tradition, is now in the United States for his second tour, presenting performances of the classical Iraqi Maqam in its typical format, accompanied by traditional instruments, in addition to performing in a new collaboration with Amir ElSaffar’s acclaimed Two Rivers Ensemble, combining the maqam with contemporary jazz. Born in Iraq in 1958, Hamid Al-Saadi’s artistic, musical and scholarly journey with the Iraqi maqam began from childhood, inspired by his avid love of the Iraqi and Baghdadi culture, the Arabic language, music and poetry. He studied, practiced, and performed the maqam until he became one of the more renowned and highly acclaimed musicians and scholars in this subject. He learned the art of singing and performing the Iraqi maqam from the legendary Yusuf Omar (1918-1987), who pronounced Al-Saadi as his successor. Muhammed Al-Gubbenchi (1901-1989) who taught Omar and was probably the most influential maqam reciter in history, said that he considered Al-Saadi to be the "ideal link to pass on the maqam to future generations."
Amir ElSaffar has distinguished himself with a mastery of disparate musical styles and has created a singular approach to combining aspects of Middle Eastern music with jazz and classical music, extending the boundaries of each tradition. A recipient of the 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and 2018 United States Artists Fellowship, ElSaffar is an important voice in an age of cross cultural music making. Born near Chicago, IL, in 1977 to an Iraqi immigrant father and an American mother, ElSaffar grew up listening to his father’s LPs of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Blues Brothers, and received his first musical training as a kindergartner singing in a Lutheran Church Choir. His mother taught him to sing and play American folk songs on the ukulele when he was
nine, and he went on to learn guitar, playing Beatles songs and other popular music, in addition to writing his own songs. A renowned jazz trumpeter with a classical background, ElSaffar has invented new techniques to play microtones and ornaments that are idiomatic to Arabic music, but not typically heard on the trumpet. He also performs classical Iraqi Maqam as a vocalist and santur (hammered dulcimer) player. As a composer, ElSaffar has created a unique microtonal harmonic language that synthesizes maqam, jazz, blues, and classical harmony. ElSaffar has released six albums to critical acclaim, leads several ensembles, and maintains an active international performance schedule, but his focus in recent years has gravitated toward composition. He has written for jazz and Arabic Ensembles, Bharathnatyam dance and Carnatic musicians, chamber orchestra, string quartet, mixed chamber ensemble, brass and percussion. He is Composer-in-Residence at the Royaumont Foundation in France from 2017 through 2020, where he has been commissioned to compose four new works for a variety of ensembles. ElSaffar is currently working on a new work for Flamenco vocal, Flamenco dance, and electronics, which will premiere at the Flamenco Biennale of the Netherlands in 2019 and is in the early stages of writing his first Opera, set to premiere in 2022.
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MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THE NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA’S MENTORSHIP PROGRAM OFFERS TUTELAGE AND GUIDANCE TO ASPIRING YOUNG ARTISTS WANTING TO EXPAND THEIR CAREER IN ARAB MUSIC.
Featured Mentoree
EMMA LEE ABOUKASM Emma Lee Aboukasm is an award-winning, Detroit-based recording artist, vocalist, pianist, and composer. Educated in classical and jazz music at the
University of Michigan, she is now performing in a variety of venues, ranging
from intimate venues like the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe to the Detroit Jazz Festival. Emma Lee is on the vanguard of contemporary music in the heart of metroDetroit. Recently, Emma Lee co-produced her debut album Rise To It with
Scott Gwinnell, featuring Scott Gwinnell on piano, Marion Hayden on bass,
Sean Dobbins on drums and Tristan Cappel on alto sax. The album contains
jazz standards and original compositions by Emma Lee. Aboukasm won the
Youth Vocal Jazz Competition in Detroit in 2014. In 2015, she made the top five finalists out of 2,000 applications worldwide in the International Sarah
Vaughan Vocal Jazz Competition. There, she performed for a panel of judges including Christian McBride and Cyrille Aimée and played tracks from her CD on WBGO radio in Newark, NJ. Tonight marks Emma's first performance with the National Arab Orchestra.
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The mentorship program gave me the opportunity to reconnect with my cultural roots while exposing me to a new genre of music I now include in my musical career.
Emma Lee Aboukasm
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PROGRAM
P rogr a m Fata f i t i l-S u k a r Maqam Rast – From the Tradition of the Iraqi Maqam
Moh a m e d Faw z i Ol d T r a di t ion a l ( T u r at h )
Hamid Al Saadi (Vocalist) & Amir El Saffar (Santoor)
G h a n i l i Sh way
Zak aria Ahmad
Wa h a sh t i n i
K h a l i d i l-A m i r
Da nc i ng i n t h e St r e e t s
Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
St e v i e Won de r / W i l l i a m St e v e ns on / Iv y Hu n t e r Original Artist: Martha Reeves and the Vandellas Arranged by: Michael Ibrahim Emma Aboukasm (Vocalist), Building Bridges through Music Choir
Sh u ruq A r j i ’ Ya A l fa L e i l a
N away t A da r i A l a m i
Ku l l i Da K a n L e y
R i s a l a M i n Ta h t i l-M a’
‘A l a R i m sh i ‘Ayou n h a
H a ni Mh a nna R a h b a n i Bros.
Building Bridges through Music Choir
Fa r i d A l at r ac h e
Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
Moh a m e d A bde l Wa h a b Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
Moh a m e d i l-Mo g e e Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
B a l ig h H a m di
Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
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PROGRAM NOTES
GHANILI SHWAY Zak aria Ahmad Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
Sing for me l i t t l e by l i t t l e Sing for me little by little Sing for me and take my eyes Let me sing tunes That listeners sway for And the branches flutter for The narcissus with the jasmine too And the passengers travel with it enveloping the ships Little by little, little by little… Sing for me, sing and take my eyes (meaning: capture my eyes). Singing is the life of the soul The sick man hears it and gets healed and it treats a wounded liver (liver here means heart). that doctors are perplexed by it and it makes the darkness of the night turn into light inside the eyes of lovers Little by little, little by little... Sing for me, sing and take my eyes (meaning: capture my eyes). I promise you by God (The father of the house; which meansa holy place). Oh you who believe in God I'll enchant you all if I sing and make the girls of the village dance Little by little, little by little… Sing for me, sing and take my eyes (meaning: capture my eyes). I will sing and say to the birds, from early morning, good morning I will sing and say to the birds, from early morning, good morning And the moon and the green bird repeat with me Little by little... Little by little... sing to me and take my eyes (meaning: capture my eyes). I will sing, sing and sing and show people the depth of my art So humans can talk to genies, and the ones who are leaving can inform the ones who are coming that: “Singing is the life of the soul The sick man hears it and gets healed and it treats a wounded liver (liver here means heart). that doctors are perplexed by it and it makes the darkness of the night turn into light inside the eyes of lovers Little by little, little by little... Sing for me, sing and take my eyes (meaning: capture my eyes).
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PROGRAM NOTES
WAHASHTINI K h a l i d i l-A m i r Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
I Miss You I miss you as much as there are stars in the sky I miss you as much as there are love words in the language I miss you everyday but, I miss you even more when we are together Come and let us make every dream a reality, come, come Come and let us make up for every lost minute, come, come I am afraid that tomorrow may part us after how hard it was to believe that you longed for me, that you came back to me and told me:”You missed me.” Night after night after night You haven’t left a second from my imagination all night I await happiness and I await you And I sing as I dream of you with me Oh how wonderful the return of a loved one is after he has been gone The beauty of it makes love young again Come and let us make every dream a reality, come, come Come and let us make up for every lost minute, come, come I am afraid that tomorrow may part us after how hard it was to believe that you longed for me, that you came back to me and told me:”You missed me.” Oh moon, oh sleeplessness We are coming back, coming back carrying the affection of all lovers Stay up with us and lighten up our nights For longing has melted us together God will make up for all we have lacked and make us happy And our time together will be eternal Come and let us make every dream a reality, come, come Come and let us make up for every lost minute, come, come I am afraid that tomorrow may part us after how hard it was to believe that you longed for me, that you came back to me and told me:” You missed me.”
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PROGRAM NOTES
NAWAYT ADARI ALAMI Fa r i d A l at r ach e Lubana Al Quntar (Vocalist)
I Decided to hide m y Pa in I decided to cover up my pain Hide my tears and crying Speak out my sadness, and my feelings of passion to myself and to the shadow of the one I love What is crying going to do for me besides revealing my sadness to people? I thought tears were my cure, On the contrary, they made the wound bigger Why do I cry and moan in pain, And the one I love is happy? If he is gone away and my eyes can’t see him I will stay loyal to him I will be happy to sacrifice my love for him and keep his memory alive forever I want to wish him and wish myself more happiness and joy I sit all night long talking to his shadow The breeze of the night is so refreshing I see with my eyes his beauty in the crescent and in the whole beautiful universe I sing tunes of love to the birds and to the flowers Then hide my sorrow from people pretending to be happy.
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PROGRAM NOTES
KULLI DA KAN KEY Moh a m ed a bdel wa h a b Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
Wh y did A l l of t his H a ppen ed w hen I saw her e y es? Why did all of this happen when I saw her eyes? My heart desired her and my mind got busy thinking about her all the time Why did all of this happen? She told me few words They resembled the breeze in summer nights She left me and left a big longing in my heart and a sweet phantom on my mind. She has been gone for two days I don’t know why I miss her so much I am uncertain where I will meet her and what will I say to her when I see her again? Why did all of this happen when I saw her eyes? My heart desired her and my mind got busy thinking about her all the time Why did all of this happen? She is the one, who confused me, Changed me, and left me in a daze She is the one who slept and left me awake Now I wonder if I am on her mind or not. My mornings are full of sorrow and affliction Thinking about her all the time She made me forget how to sleep Spending the night chanting a poem for her Why did all of this happen when I saw her eyes? My heart desired her and my mind got busy thinking about her all the time Why did all of this happen?
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PROGRAM NOTES
RISALA MIN TAHT IL-MA' Moh a m ed i l-Mogee
Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
a Letter from Under the Water If you truly love me, help me to escape from you. Or if you want to heal me, help me to be cured of you.
If I'd known that the ocean would be so deep, I would have never sailed. If I'd known that love would be so dangerous, I would have never loved.
If I'd known that the ocean would be so deep, I would have never sailed.
If I had known my end, I would have never begun.
If I'd known that love would be so dangerous, I would have never loved.
The blue waves in your eyes are calling me deeper and I have no experience in love neither do I have a boat
If I had known my end, I would have never begun.
I am breathing under water I am drowning drowning.... drowning…. drowning…. drowning
I long for you so teach me How to quit longing. Teach me how to cut the roots of your love from the depths.
I am drowning.... drowning…. drowning…. drowning
Teach me how the tear dies inside the eyes teach me how love dies, and passions get murdered.
You who is all the present and the past The age of age Do you hear my voice coming from the depth of the sea?
You who have drew the world, for me like a poem. And planted your wounds in my chest, and stole away my patience. If I am truly precious to you, take me from my hand and show me the way for I have fallen for you from my head, all the way to my feet. If you truly love me, help me to escape from you. Or if you want to heal me, help me to be cured of you.
If you were so strong Help me to get out of this sea For I don’t know the art of swimming. If I'd known that the ocean would be so deep, I would have never sailed. If I'd known that love would be so dangerous, I would have never loved. If I had known my end, I would have never begun.
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PROGRAM NOTES
‘ALA RIMSHI ‘AYOUNHA Ba l igh H a m di Mohannad Mchallah (Vocalist)
On t he E y el a shes of her e y es On the eyelashes of her eyes I met her love My mind flew away and my heart was instantly in love I am the one who was a healer of love Selling cures for lovers Fell in love from the first glance Ya Ya bai – Ya Ya Bouy (an expression that means,”wow.”). She has a laugh in the color of the night When roses get their lips (buds) filled with moon light A laugh that makes fate smile at you And brings heavenly rain to thirsty. And I am the one who was a healer of love Selling cures for lovers Fell in love from the first glance Ya Ya bai – Ya Ya Bouy (an expression that means,”wow.”). My missing for her carried me to her But someone else before me was there An old lover who was away for a year Just arrived today and held her hand How unlucky I am in love, how unlucky I am I am the one who was a healer of love Selling cures for lovers Fell in love from the first glance Ya Ya bai – Ya Ya Bouy (an expression that means,”wow.”). Translations By: Antoine Lammam
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NAO / AANM PARTNERSHIP
A Deep-Rooted Partnership The National Arab Orchestra (NAO) and the Arab American National Museum (AANM) hold a deep and longstanding partnership. In addition to supporting one another’s work, the two institutions exchange ideas and have birthed new ones, most notably, in 2017, co-creating and premiering The Films of Mohammed Bayoumi, a production featuring screenings of historic Egyptian silent cinema with an original score by Michael Ibrahim performed live by the NAO Takht Ensemble. The project has since played in other U.S. cities and has received expanded support in 2019 from the National Performance Network (NPN) to be lengthened and scored for full orchestra. The NAO has held several concerts at the AANM and utilizes rehearsal space at The Annex @ AANM.
Select historic photos of Arab Americans featured in tonight’s program were sourced through AANM’s archives.
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MIDEAST IN MOTOWN
Photographs courtesy of AANM and NAO supporters
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PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
ST. JUDE OF IRAQ Since its establishment in 2015,
St. Jude-Iraq continues to provide aid to Iraqi orphans and children. To fulfill this mission, twenty-five Iraqi volunteers distribute aid to the needy children. Thanks to the
generosity of the metro-Detroit area, St. Jude-Iraq has assisted
250 children with monthly cash
donations and other assistance.
Because of your generosity, for the
Q & A'S
enjoy the innocence of childhood.
WITH ANN ASMER
last four years, our children can During Christmas season,
St. Jude-Iraq distributes clothes,
gifts, games, food, and educational
materials to encourage the children
What is your favorite thing about Metro Detroit?
to the efforts of the volunteers, the
My favorite thing about Detroit is
to continue their education. Thanks donors, and the supporters, we
hope to continue to support our
children.St. Jude-Iraq will continue to love our children, despite all the
obstacles they face. These children did not cause their difficulties
that everyone can be attracted
to the diverse events that bring
people from all walks of life together. It’s transforming into a hub for
innovation, technology, art and diversified music.
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ST. JUDE OF IRAQ
How do you like working with the National Arab Orchestra? Working with the NAO has been a humbling experience. It’s an
honor that two dedicated non-
profit organizations can come
together to create a memorable event for the greater good of assisting the most vulnerable in
Our Arab culture transcends
religious, ethnic, geographical,
and linguistic boundaries. The preservation of our exquisite art reflects that.
How has your work with the NAO benefited you? It has benefitted in reminding
me of the great joy that is
our respective communities
expressed when the youth of
Why is the preservation and integration of Arab culture important?
the historical significance of
these communities appreciate our music enough to become an
integral reason for its preservation.
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JOIN US THIS UPCOMING SEASON AS WE CELEBRATE THE ORCHESTRA'S ANNIVERSARY
THANK YOU
A Special Thank You from our board (In no particular order) Our Presenting Partner St. Jude of Iraq
Our Community Partners Arab American National Museum Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts Greektown Casino Shar Music, Ann Arbor
Musicians, Vocalists, and Guest Artists (see orchestra roster)
NAO Staff Sherri Richards, Executive Director Reginald Tiessen, Assistant Program Director Dave Schall, Production Manager Haifa Jamalieh, Art Director Trevor Spagnoletti, Digital Marketing Director
All past donors and sponsors Widad Abed, Devon Akmon, Anaam Asmar, Elyssa Bisoski, Lilian Boufakhreddine, Cindy Cash, Robert Doyle – Edsel Ford High School, Debbie Fernandez, Maha Freij, Katherine Grabowski, Lizzy Graham, Jamele Hage, Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, Abdullah Hammuda, Steve Hinz – Chelsea High School, Hasan Jaber, Hassane Jaafar, Sandy Jamalieh, Bashar Kalai, Mak Kasir, Very Rev. Fr. Ayman & Elaina Kfouf, Matthew Laura – Fordson High School, Rita Mansour, Saadallah Masri, Fr. Wisam Matti, Julie Mielke, Turkia Mullen, Vince Paul, Alma Richeh, Ann Saab, Ghassan & Manal Saab, Dr. Karem Sackallah, Khaled Satary, Salim Sessine, Very Rev. Fr. George Shalhoub, Mike Shehadeh, Osama Siblani, Rabih Suki, Dr. Tony Sultani.
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2018 - 2019 SEASON MEMBERSHIP FORM
Season Membership Form
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Thank You to our Continued Partners and Supporters
GHASSAN AND MANAL SAAB FOUNDATION
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