Wed. January 29, 2014
doors 8:30pm / $8 suggested donation
La Sala Rossa, 4848 St. Laurent
Montreal, Quebec
Join us for a community benefit concert for the Awan family, a family facing and struggling against the institutional violence of the Canadian immigration system. Since August 2013, Khurshid Begum Awan, has been living in sanctuary inside a Montreal church. She made this difficult decision in an attempt to seek protection from an inherently unjust immigration and refugee determination system that punishes those seeking protection and solidarity. Artists will be coming together with the support of the Howl Arts Collective to raise much needed funds for the Awan family.
Info: soutienfamilleawan.org
co-presented by Howl Arts Collective // Solidarité avec la famille Awan/ Justice for the Awan Family // CKUT FM // Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival
photo by Thien V.
with performances by:
* Amir Amiri (santur) + Saeed Kamjoo (kamanche)
Amir Amiri, born in Tehran, Iran, where he studied the santur, a 72-string hammer dulcimer that lies at the heart of Persian classical music. Amiri has worked with Bob Becker, Edgar Meyer and David Takeno as well as jazz aritsts Hugh Fraser, Darcy Phillip Gray, Mike Murley and John Stetch. Amiri has worked extensively as a percussionist, composer, musical director and consultant for numerous Canadian dance and theatre companies. Recently Amiri released Arghavan a solo album. http://www.amiramiri.com/
Saeed Kamjoo, born in Tehran, Iran, is a Persian musician and composer who started learning kamancheh at the age of seventeen under the supervision of Ardeshir Kâmkâr and furthered studies in the instrumental and vocal repertoires of Classical Persian music while at the music department of Tehran University. Kamjoo’s approach to playing kamanche is based on his perception of the values inherent in classical Persian music, combining creativity and authenticity with innovation. In 1997 Kamjoo moved to Montreal and has since been collaborating with various ensembles, including the Dastan Ensemble, in Canada, the USA and Europe.
* A Sacred Cloud.
C’est apprendre à connaître musicalement une autre personne, quelqu’un de complice. Une musique méditative, transcendante, de voyage à travers les sens. S’évader de son propre corps, esprit et de manœuvre. Être dans un état de purification, oublier les ennuies du monde moderne pour une lévitation pacifiste. Contrôler ses émotions au dépend de sa rationalité. Être libre de tout acte, de pensées et de négativités. La musique n’est pas un art donné à tous, il suffit d’y comprendre le sens.
It’s getting to know somebody musically, someone that is a partner. Transcendental meditation music, this project is a journey through senses, nerves and silence. Escapees of the mind and body, they manoeuvre. Being in a constant state of purification, oblivion, forgetting modern world’s troubles to reach a peaceful levitation. Control your emotions at the expense of your own rationality. Being free of all actions, thoughts and negativities. Music is not for everybody, you just have to grasp its meaning. http://
* Prasun Lala
Le guitariste Montréalais Prasun Lala fait la moitié du duo violoncelle / guitare Horses Vanish, qui joue de la musique acoustique aux accents orchestraux et aux teintes équestres. Il fait aussi partie d’autres groupes musicales Montréalaises et a composé et enregistré de la musique pour le cinéma et le théâtre. Il est impliqué avec les groupes artistiques et engagées – Montréal Serai et Teesri Duniya Theatre – depuis de nombreuses années.
Montreal guitarist Prasun Lala is one half of the cello/guitar duo Horses Vanish, whose acoustic music hints at chamberal and progressive equine shades. He also performs as the member of several other bands and has composed and recorded music for film and theatre. He has been heavily involved with the activist arts groups Montreal Serai and Teesri Duniya Theatre for many years.
* Norman Nawrocki (violin) + Stefan Christoff (piano)
Norman Nawrocki is an internationally acclaimed, Montréal-based author, actor, violinist, cabaret artist, educator & producer. http://
Stefan Christoff is a Montreal-based community activist, independent media maker and piano player. http://soundcloud.com/