Reserved Hall Seats: $50.00, $29.00, $25.00 (partial obstruction)
General Admission/Outdoors/Uncovered: $20.00, Students: $10
Simon Shaheen, oud, violin
Tareq Rantisi, percussion
Rami Abu Olaya, nay
Simon Shaheen is one of the most significant Arab musicians, performers, and composers of his generation. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arab music, while it forges ahead to new frontiers, bracing many different styles in the process. This unique contribution to the world of arts was recognized in 1994 when Shaheen was honored with the prestigious National Heritage Award at the White House. In the 1990s, he released four albums of his own: Saltanah (Water Lily Acoustics), Turath (CMP), Taqasim (Lyrichord), and Simon Shaheen: The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab (Axiom), while also contributing cuts to produce R&Bill Laswell’s fusion collective, Hallucination Engine (Island). He has contributed selections to soundtracks for The Sheltering Sky and Malcolm X, among others, and he composed the entire soundtrack for the United Nations–sponsored documentary, For Everyone Everywhere. Broadcast globally in December 1998, this film celebrated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Charter. But perhaps his greatest success has come with Blue Flame (ARK21, 2001), where he led his group, Qantara, on a labyrinthine journey through the world of fusion music to discover the heart of the Middle East. The album was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards.
Tareq Rantisi is a Grammy-nominated world percussionist, composer, and educator. Initially self-taught in the Arabic music tradition, he received a B.A. in Performance from Berklee College of Music in 2011 and a Master’s from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in 2019. His studies and practice have brought him into deep dialogue with Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Indian, West African, Brazilian, and other traditions which continue to transform his approach to music, performing and composing. Also a seasoned educator Tareq has offered master classes, workshops and private lessons throughout the world in collaboration with Boston College, Brandeis University, The Center for Arabic Culture, and The Arabic Music Retreat. Over the last decade, Tareq has performed with some of the biggest names in modern music including Simon Shaheen, Aaron Goldberg, Daniel Schnyder, and most recently as a member of Danilo Perez’s Global Messengers.
Rami Abu Olaya is a master Nay player from the town of Jenin, Palestine. At an early age he joined the Al Kamandjati Music School to study Arabic and Western music and later became an instructor in nay and flute. Rami has shared the stage with world-class musicians such as Titi Robin, Ramzi Aburedwan, Faraj Sulieman, and Ghalia Ben Ali. He has participated in renowned music festivals such as Eid Al Musica Festival and The Humanity Festival of Paris. Rami has made multiple television appearances on Palestine TV and performed on international tours in France, Germany, Belgium, Jordan, and more. Current musical activities include performances with local artists and music organizations such as Shelter Music Boston, Worcester Chamber Music Society, Center for Arabic Culture, Al Faris Foundation, and the Bethlehem Foundation. He also appears in concert with Simon Shaheen and area ensembles such as Boston’s Souq El Jum3a.
