Have you ever been fascinated by the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean? From the Greek and Roman empires onwards, civilisations have risen and fallen along its shores, creating a rich interweaving of traditions, religion and philosophies.
At Nexus Arts this September, Adelaide Baroque present ‘Old Worlds and New 2’ – their second instalment of music and stories from the medieval period in this region. This time they journey eastwards to explore historical musical worlds from current-day Florence, through Greece and the Middle East amid the overarching influence of the Ottoman empire.
Co-Director and violinist Ben Dollman says: ‘We will be creating evocative impressions of music of ‘the east’ versus ‘the west’ – but were they so different then? Conjuring feelings, rhythms, colours, associations – by exploring these realms and their history we get a feel for the diversity and riches that lie at the human heart of them all.’
In particular they welcome special guests Maryam Rahmani and Yahya Hoseinkhani, South Australians of Iranian heritage, performing on the santur and the ney. The santur is a beautiful instrument that uses light hammers on metal strings to weave a shimmering curtain of sound, whilst the ney is a deeply spiritual wooden flute from the Persian tradition. In specially created arrangements with the Adelaide Baroque strings, there will be a focus on melodies and styles from this area and its near neighbours.
Likewise return guests Aaron Brown (early strings) and Philip Griffin (oud and guitars) bring sounds from Italy and Greece, the Balkans, and the islands of the Mediterranean, as culture was exchanged via land and maritime routes across shifting borders.
It’s a journey of the imagination with a melody or tradition handed from one generation to another with roots shrouded in mystery, yet made new again in the hands of master musicians today.
Bringing a contemporary touch will be star SA percussionist Alexander Flood – a jazz and club maestro turning an expert hand to Arabic instruments with a pulsating energy.
This promises to be a unique and vivid experience for lovers of fine music, world styles and history aficionados alike!
Old Worlds and New 2
Friday September 11, 7.00pm
Saturday September 12, 3.00pm and 7.00pm
Nexus Arts
For tickets and more information, visit adelaidebaroque.com.au
