Any fine arts major will tell you with little stars in their eyes -- when you experience the arts you understand a bit more about the artists, including their cultural background.
A wonderful opportunity to listen to Iraqi music is coming to our humble little town Nov. 30.
Accomplished oud musician and contemporary composer, Rahim Alhaj, will be performing a Thanksgiving Weekend concert at the Cell Theatre at 8 p.m.
Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Rahim Alhaj has been playing the oud for 27 years. Rahim has toured internationally for many years, bringing his tone to France, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and even to Jordan for Queen Noor. He is one of only a handful of oud players from Iraq who has had the privilege to study under renowned oud player, Munier Bashir, at the Baghdad Conservatory for six years.
Rahim's innovative compositions merge contemporary concepts from both Middle-Eastern aesthetic schools and Western schools of thought with traditional Iraqi oud playing. Using western scales and rhythm patterns such as the Tango and the Waltz and traditional rhythmic and harmonic maqams, Alhaj's music is designed to be accessible to audience members of any nationality.
Whereas the mix of western and eastern schools of music is not new, the approach from the eastern school is a rare and valuable one. Alhaj provides a unique view on the possibilities of the hybridization of these two classical schools.
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Rahim Alhaj left Iraq in 1991 as a political refugee. Known as an outspoken activist against the Hussein regime, Alhaj found his life threatened and was forced to leave the country with haste. He spent several years in Syria and Jordan until the U.N. designated Albuquerque as his new home.
To celebrate his new home Alhaj will be performing his world premiere of "Baghdad in New Mexico," a new composition dedicated to Albuquerque with flavors of his old home.
"This piece makes this a very significant concert for me," Alhaj said. "It explores how to
have another home, to find balance and safety in a new place. The piece moves between learning to love my new home and missing my old one."
So what exactly is an oud? An oud is a Middle Eastern plucked string instrument that was the father of the western lute. The western lute was the father of the modern guitar, so in essence the oud is the guitar's granddaddy.
Played with a plectrum, a sort of elongated guitar pick, the oud is a polyphonic instrument equivalent to the piano of western classical music in regards to its versatility in accompaniment and solo work.
Just as any composer or musician worth their salt in western music should know their way around the piano, any composer or musician worth their salt in Iraq should know their way around the oud.
Joining Alhaj will be percussionist Ken Pattat, a native New Mexican who is known as one of New Mexico's finest percussionists. This collaborative effort will be the first of its kind between these two artists. Pattat will be playing a variety of percussion instruments ranging from the cajon to the rakqq and dumbek.
Tickets are $20, available by calling the Cell Theatre at 766-9412, or by visiting the theater's box office between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Cell Theatre is located at 700 First St, one block south of Lomas Blvd.
