NOROOZ 2008 Concert -- An Inter-Cultural Celebration of Spring Renewal and Persian new year

Town Hall
Saturday March 15, 2008, 7:30 PM
Doors open @  6:45 PM

Description

Norooz is the beginning of the year for the peoples of Iran. Norooz in Persian means "New day". It is the beginning of the year for the peoples of Iran.

It begins precisely with the beginning of spring on vernal equinox, on or about March 21. Tradition takes Norooz as far back as 15,000 years. Seasons played a vital part then. Everything depended on the four seasons. After a sever winter, the beginning of spring was a great occasion to celebrate this rejuvanation. It was the dawn of abundance.

Today, Traditional Iranian musical ensemble, Kamand, and Pangeo, in association with Iranian American Community Alliance (IACA), Invite you to celebrate the ancient Iranian tradition on Norooz--a New Year festival
that coincides with the earth's cycle of springtime renewal, rebirth, and rejuvenation. In Iran, Norooz is celebrated by cleaning the home, gathering with family and friends, making peace with the troubles and challenges of the past year, and starting anew with celebratory music, dance, and community gatherings. The universal themes of Norooz -- forgiveness, renewal, unity -- are celebrated in many cultures around the world, in a multitude of ways.  Please join us for a very special evening of Persian and Latin American music and dance, in recognition and celebration of our common connection to the earth's cycles and to each other.

Pangeo, is a four member group based in Seattle drawn together by a passion for Greek music and music of the Balkans. With a taste for old-style dance music they are equally at home playing ballads from the mountains of Epiros in Greece, or lively tunes from the Bulgarians Yugoslavian and Albanian border areas. In the Greek tradition, as in many other cultures, the arrival of spring is signified by many religious and secular rituals that include music and dancing. Some of them survived  since the ancient times with little change in between. Pangeo, along with the "Akrites" dancers from Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, directed by Vassili Dikeakos, presents music and dance with the themes of spring.

Christos Govetas, clarinet, voice
Ruth Hunter, accordion, voice
Kane Mathis, guitar
Will Dowd, doumbek, defi, daouli

From the meditative grooves of classical Persian music to the pulsing rhythms of Kurdistan, Kamand takes the listener on a journey to the heart of Iran. As Seattle's only traditional Iranian ensemble, Kamand seeks to represent,  musically, many of Iran's diverse regions. The sheer joy of music energizes the group members' collaboration and a passion for promoting inter cultural appreciation drives their commitment.

Special guests Hosts will include:

Speakers: Mr. Iraj Khademi and Mr. Paul Plumis

Bobak Salehi, Kamanche, Setar, Violin (www.shabava.com)  A talented multi instrumentalist, Bobak was born in Tehran, Iran. He ventured into the music realm when he was eight years old, under the direction of his father maestero Hossein Salehi, and later studied violin with other Iranian master artists.

Helene Eriksen, Persian Folk Dance, http://www.helene-eriksen.de/
Helene Eriksen's International Dance Theatre
St.Demetrios' church of Seattle "Akrites" dancers directed by Vassili Dikeakos.

Karavans Dance Troupe, Directed by Mish Mish, www.karavansdancetroupe.com

Location
Town Hall
1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Seattle, WA 98101
Phone (206) 652-4255
Email info@townhallseattle.org
Map

Tickets
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/26005
Or  Call 1-800-838-3006

ALso Tickets are available at local Persian Restaurant and grocery stores in Seattle and Bellevue.  


Low Income/Students/Seniors                                 $10.00
General Advance                                                      $18.00
Family (any 2 adults & up to 4 youth under 18)      $40.00

Contacts
kamandseattle@yahoo.com (206)763-9525