Orchid Ensemble

The Winged Horses of Heaven
 
An Evening of Silk Road-Inspired Music by the Orchid Ensemble.  The famed Silk Road is said have begun with a diplomatic mission to the west by Chinese General Zhang Qian in 138 BCE. In the centuries that followed, merchants, diplomats, musicians, artists, missionaries, princesses, and others traveled back and forth from China across the Silk Road trade routes.

Different cultures came into contact with one another, resulting at times in conflict and at others in a cross-cultural flowering of trade, music, ideas, religion, and art. Even today, China’s music bears the mark of this cross-cultural exchange.

You are invited to join the UW East Asia Resource Center, East Asia Center, and Ethnic Cultural Center/Theatre for a public concert of Silk Road-inspired music by the acclaimed Orchid Ensemble.

November 3, 2007 at 7pm-9pm  @ Ethnic Cultural Center
3940 Brooklyn Ave, Seattle, WA

 

Gamelan Cudamani

(GAM-eh-lawn soo-deh-MAH-nee)

“[Çudamani] brought us closer to the essence of a culture than most touring productions can.” Los Angeles Times

This 25-member music and dance company from Bali transports the audience into the life, rituals, and celebrations of an Indonesian village. Employing a rare semarandana orchestra, the gamelan musicians use seven tones instead of the traditional five to create rich and varied sounds and rhythms. The music, colorful costumes (including a spectacular dragon), and thoroughly engaging performers make Gamelan Çudamani a captivating experience for audiences of all ages.

November 9 and 10 at 8pm @ Meany Hall
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E a   S o l a

(EH-yuh SO-lah)

“Always on the point of explosion... like a purification.” L’Humanite

Since 1995, choreographer Ea Sola has been on a journey of discovery and reflection, creating dance works that have explored the experiences, memories, and identities of the people who fought and lived through the horrors of the Viet Nam War. In Drought and Rain, Vol. 2, the company of 13 dancers and six musicians from the National Ballet of Vietnam-Hanoi continues that exploration, examining how the memory of war travels across generations. A serious work for serious times.

January 17, 18 and 19 at 8pm @ Meany Hall
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Simon Shaheen

(sih-MOWN shah-HEEN)

“Syncopated sound across musical borders, from classical Arabic compositions to contemporary jazz fusion.” New York Times

A dazzling, virtuoso performer on both the oud and the violin, Palestinian-born Shaheen effortlessly leaps from intricate Arabic sounds to jazz, Latin American music, and Western classical styles. He and his band Qantara transcend the boundaries of genre and geography, and their album, Blue Flame, was nominated for eleven Grammy Awards. Join us for a truly spellbinding and glorious performance.

January 26 at 8pm  @ Meany Hall
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Wu Man & Shawm Band

(WOO MAHN)

“Staggering mastery... a veritable symphony of sounds.” Newsday

The pipa is an ancient Chinese lute-like instrument, and Wu Man is its undisputed contemporary master. Her extraordinary skills have taken her to concert halls worldwide and she has collaborated with musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Philip Glass, and the Kronos Quartet, to name just a few. For her UW World Series appearance, she brings with her the Hua Family Shawm Band. Rarely seen outside of China, the band performs a style of gypsy music that has its roots in the customs and traditions of 16th-century imperial China.

February 23 at 8pm @ Meany Hall
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Music of the Uyghur Nation

Sultan Memet performs the Music of the Uyghur Nation

February 27 at 8pm  @ Ethnic Cultural Center
3940 Brooklyn Ave, Seattle, WA
 

(Kuh-wah-lee)

“A travelogue of Asian rhythms... music fueled by its own jubilation.” - New York Times

Characterized by strong voices, explosive hand-clapping and intricate rhythms performed by all-male ensembles, qawwali is devotional music based on the mystic poetry of the Sufi masters. Pakistani-born brothers Mehr and Sher Ali, who lead the ensemble, received their early musical training from their father, a court classical singer in India. They believe that qawwali transcends the limitations of orthodox religion and that the music can bring harmony and peace to the soul, while projecting a message of unity and love for all.

April 26 @ 8pm | Additional Information

Meany Hall | UW World Series | Jackson School of International Studies