Acclaimed musician Yair Dalal, violinist and oud player, will present an evening of traditional and contemporary Arab and Iraqi Jewish music on Saturday, May 10 at 8 p.m. in the Carleton College Great Hall. This performance of unique world music is free and open to the public.
Much of Dalal’s repertoire reflects his extensive musical skills in both classical European, Jazz and Arabic music—also reflecting the strong affinity he has for the desert and its habitants. Dalal’s family came to Israel from Baghdad and his Iraqi roots are embedded in his musical work. Whether working on his own, or with his acclaimed Alol ensemble, Dalal creates new Middle Eastern music by interweaving the traditions of Iraqi and Jewish Arabic music with a range of influences originating from such diverse cultural milieus as the Balkans to India. The evocative compositions comprise a unique and colorful sound.
Besides his musical endeavors, Dalal is a peace activist, devoting much of his time and energy to build a bridge of understanding and creativity between different cultures and, in particular between Jews and Arabs. Dalal performed at the Nobel Peace Prize gala concert in 1994 honoring the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat.
This event is sponsored by Carleton’s Middle East Initiative and Judaic Studies. For more information about this event, including disability accommodations, contact (507) 222-5178. The Severance Great Hall is located off College Street on the Carleton campus. A campus map can be found at www.carleton.edu/visitors/#maps/.
