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| Iraqi Symphony Prepares for D.C. Concert | |
| 2003-12-09 | |
| Muntha Jamil Hafidh describes his orchestra’s upcoming performance here in the same terms that any foreign musician might: an opportunity to learn from U.S. musicians and share his country’s culture. But Hafidh isn’t part of just any orchestra. He is co-founder and cellist for the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra, which will play at Washington’s premier performance center after surviving 12 years of Saddam Hussein’s rule, international sanctions and war. Wonder how many didn’t survive Uday? The Iraqi orchestra will perform Tuesday night with the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. National Symphony Music director Leonard Slatkin and the Iraqi orchestra’s director, Mohammed Amin Ezzat will both conduct. Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma will be the featured soloist. Got tickets, Fred?
"Cheez, you guys are worse than Qusay!" Speaking through a translator, Hafidh and other members stressed the importance of presenting Iraqi music to an international audience. ``Our objective is not (just) to come here and play music, but to play music through our point of view and the way we understand it,’’ he said. Another objective ``is for us to learn about different musicians and different conductors and how they train and how they go about their work,’’ he said. That didn’t happen while Iraq was under international sanctions following the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The 63-member orchestra now practices at the Baghdad Convention Center in a heavily protected zone guarded by U.S. troops. The orchestra has also received donated instruments and sheet music. Shouldn’t be long before they do a recording. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 Anon.. who, what, where, when. |
| Posted by: B 2003-12-9 1:32:30 PM |
| #3 Don't forget! Iraq anti-terror demonstrations planned for tomorrow Dec.10. Spread the word. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-12-9 12:21:52 PM |
| #2 The orchestra’s visit comes as the U.S. death toll rises in Iraq and the administration is defending the decision to go to war. They cannot help themselves can they? In the middle of what is great news, this asshat has to take a dump in my pool. |
| Posted by: Dragon Fly 2003-12-9 9:10:05 AM |
| #1 That's nice Let's hope it's a while before their new musician friends manage to turn them against the people that made it possible for them to come here in the first place. The pressure from the arts community, to bash the US, will be intense. |
| Posted by: B 2003-12-9 7:40:56 AM |