Loading ...Magical Oud, Music for the Soul
Take a musical journey filled with the magic of a spectacular historic home and an equally stunning ensemble of seasoned musicians from around the globe who call the Detroit-area their home. Begin this journey with Victor Ghannam’s World Music Quartet at Palmer Woods Music in Home‘s concert on Saturday, March 19 at 8 pm.
Crossing genres from Middle Eastern, to jazz, Flamenco, rock’n roll, and exotic belly dancing music, Victor Ghannam’s dazzling command on the oud and qanoun has earned him worldwide recognition. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony on its Sounds of Babylon series, as well as on NPR’s Prairie Home Companion. A founder of the National Arab Orchestra, he will perform with fellow members: Iraqi-born violinist Qusay Al-Ali, Ons Boukraa, one of Tunisia’s premier percussionists, and from India, Gursharan Yash Singh Sandhu, who plays percussion instruments of classical Indian music with ancient Hindu traditions. It will be an evening filled with hypnotic sounds and global magic.
The oud is thought to have been created during the early pharaonic era; legend has it that it was invented by Lamech, the sixth grandson of Adam. The oldest pictorial record of a lute dates back over 5000 years ago, from the cradle of civilization, Mesopotamia. This beautiful pear-shaped stringed instrument has a long tradition of having magical and healing powers and expressing the souls of countries. It is often used in Persian, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Jewish, Byzantine, Azerbaijani, Armenian, North African (Chaabi, Classical, and Spanish Andalusian), Somali and Middle Eastern music.
This evening of rich culture includes a feast during intermission with food and desserts to reflect the flavor of music. The concert home, a fabulous 5,200-square-foot 1926 English Tudor-revival, is eclectically decorated with modern, antique and handmade furniture and artwork of local artists, as well as the owner’s photography.
Palmer Woods Music in Homes 9th season showcases world-acclaimed jazz, classical and world music artists with Detroit roots who perform each month through June in architectural gems — Detroit’s Palmer Woods mansions, unique homes and gardens. Here musicians enrapture their audiences with musical journeys of sounds, imagination, traditions, and histories from the US, Latin America, Middle East, Asia, South Africa, and elsewhere.
Tickets for all concerts, $40 – $50, with discounts for groups of 10 or more, can be purchased at palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514. The address of the concert home in Palmer Woods is revealed when tickets are purchased. All concerts include receptions with creative and delicious menus that reflect the musical themes.
The 2016-17 series commenced in December with the legendary saxophonist James Carter and Ragtime pianist Taslimah Bey for the Mardi Gras concert in January. There are six more exceptional concerts, plus two free concerts for children with PUBLIQuartet’s classical concert on April 9 and David Alan Grier Quartet’s “Delta Blues, Broadway, Jazz & Beyond” concert on Saturday, June 18.
Concerts are produced by the Creative Arts Collective with the Palmer Woods Association with the support of major sponsor City Living Detroit, and Be Well Medical Center in Berkley, Barefield DesignWorks, Blossoms in Birmingham, DetroitPerforms.org, and WRCJ 90.9FM. Music in Homes works to strengthen the Palmer Woods neighborhood and Detroit’s image, support the arts, showcase Palmer Woods as a wonderful place to live and visit, and enrich the quality of life and cultural environment in our city.