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Tunisian Melodies

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Tuesday, October 01, 2002

The compositions of Tunisian lute player Anouar Brahem have taken their inspiration from Syrian, Egyptian, and Indian schools of music, among others. But during a brief period when he ignored his lute, he sat down at his piano to write more jazz-inflected songs for his latest album, Le pas du chat noir. On Tuesday’s program, Brahem and his trio visit the studio for a live performance and a conversation about up-ending his usual creative process. Plus, Robert Johnson, the artistic director of the New York Philomusica, discusses the ensemble’s 31st anniversary season, which includes a never-heard rearrangement of a Duke Ellington piano concerto and premieres of works by composers Michael Berkeley and Jan Swafford.
Though his new CD has much more of a piano jazz sound than his previous recordings, this isn’t the first time oud player Anouar Brahem has used the piano to compose music. In fact, most of his film compositions are written on the piano.
More about Anouar Brahem

The New York Philomusica’s mission is to present the widest spectrum of contemporary chamber music possible by involving established performers and living composers in the programming process.
More about the New York Philomusica