Qantara Berklee Ensemble and the Near Eastern Music Ensemble.
Qantara Berklee Ensemble
Image courtesy of Berklee College of Music
The concert will include performances by two groups: Qantara Berklee Ensemble and the Near Eastern Music Ensemble.
Qantara Berklee Ensemble (Qantara means arch) brings to life a vision for the unbridled fusion of world jazz, Middle Eastern, western classical, and Latin American music, to transcend the boundaries of genre and geography. The ensemble performs originals by the director and students, as well as traditional compositions from various styles in new arrangements. Additionally, the ensemble works on developing the art of improvisation in various styles including free form, metrical, and trading, using both harmonic and modal changes.
The Near Eastern Music Ensemble's repertoire covers Mediterranean musical cultures including Turkish, Egyptian, Greek, North African, and Andalusian. The Near Eastern Music Ensemble also focuses on freestyle improvisation, utilizing regular and microtonal modes.