SOAS Concert Series

Musicians from around the world brought to the Brunei Gallery at SOAS in Central London. OpenAir is covering the SOAS Concert Series, bringing you both the concert and an exclusive interview with the artists. On stage sound and live recording provided by Jeremy Glasgow from the AV Department at SOAS. Concerts produced by Katerina Pavlakis for SOAS Music Department.

A rare chance to hear Kameyama Kono, one of Japan’s foremost Yamada-ryu koto masters performing a range of traditional and modern pieces for koto, shamisen and shakuhachi. Having studied under the legendary koto teacher and composer, Nakanoshima Kin-ichi, she embarked on a solo career bringing new lights to the roots of the classical repertoire while also exploring contemporary koto music through an acclaimed series of concerts, CD recordings and performances on TV and radio. In this recital she is accompanied by the rising shamisen star Kaori Naka, and Michael Soumei Coxall on shakuhachi.

She’Koyokh is London’s award-winning klezmer ensemble performing Ashkenazi Jewish, Eastern European, Balkan and Turkish folk music everywhere they can: from international festivals via weddings to street corners. Established with the support of a Millennium Award through the Jewish Music Institute in London, this popular band is now at the forefront of the revival of Eastern European roots music in the UK, bringing a fresh, energy to an extensive repertoire ranging from exhilarating Bulgarian and Turkish music to soulful Ashkenazi melodies from the villages in Poland, Romania and the Ukraine.

Khyam Allami - Resonance/Dissonance Album Launch

This concert launched Khyam Allami’s debut album Resonance/Dissonance, composed in a creative flurry at SOAS in Feb 2011. Khyam was accompanied by percussionist Vasilis Sarikis.

Throw aside preconceived musical prejudices, abandon all attempts to catalogue: a rich chemistry of cultural influences is at work when Adriano Adewale and his group get together on stage.

Istanbul-born singer Çiğdem (say Cheedem) brings an authentic voice and exquisite styling to the poignant songs associated with the Greek and Turkish diasporas created after the forced population exchanges in the early 1920s. Born out of hardship yet full of resilience and with a devil-may-care attitude this repertoire shares the music, lyrics and sentiments of rebetiko and Western Turkish styles; a heritage belonging to both communities. Çiğdem Aslan is one of few young female singers today focussing on an authentic interpretation of the tradition with a programme in both Greek and Turkish.

Joel Flynn interviews Matthaios Tsahouridis after his performance at SOAS on the 27th January 2009.

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