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Holland Festival Proms - The Nile Project

The Nile Project

The Nile is one of the world's longest rivers, and it flows through many African musical traditions. Eighteen artists from six countries in the Nile river basin (Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda) recently came together and formed The Nile Project to create and play a new and unified Nile repertoire, resulting in the swinging album Aswan. The collective performs for the first time in the Netherlands; they will combine Egypt and Sudan's modal music traditions with the polyrhythmic styles from around Lake Victoria, and the beautiful melodies of the Ethiopian highlands. For all the division in the Nile river basin, The Nile Project resonates harmony and vibrancy.

From the brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen playing Karlheinz Stockhausen to an opera-installation by the Indonesian artist Jompet Kuswidananto. The day is being hosted by comedian and television presenter Klaas van der Eerden. In the intermissions there will be performances by conservatory students, as well as short introductions to the concerts. For only ten euros per concert – or less for those who buy a day pass – you can hear the latest and most adventurous music from around the world. There’s an afterparty that night for everyone who can’t get enough of it.

 

For a whole day, from noon until late at night, there will be a vibrant mini-festival in The Concertgebouw. The Holland Festival Proms consists of five concerts and an installation. From a concert with virtual reality to the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and the swinging music of The Nile Project.

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dates

Sat June 24 2017 11:30 PM

information

  • Duration of performance unknown

The Nile Project is an ensemble of musicians from the countries that border the Nile. It plays a completely original Nile repertoire. In 2013 the ensemble brought out a live CD: Aswan. With tours in Africa and the United States and several appearances in Belgium and England, the group raised the profile of their objectives and values.

The Nile Project is an ensemble of musicians from the countries that border the Nile. It plays a completely original Nile repertoire. In 2013 the ensemble brought out a live CD: Aswan. With tours in Africa and the United States and several appearances in Belgium and England, the group raised the profile of their objectives and values.

Nine countries depend on the Nile for their water supply: Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The growing scarcity of water and the varying cultures and interests in the region mean that there are many causes for conflict. The Nile Project, an organisation that focuses on knowledge and culture, was founded in 2011 to raise awareness of people’s shared dependency on the river as a source of life. The aim is to turn the river into a power that brings people together rather than driving them apart.

 

In 2013 an ensemble was founded that was also given the name The Nile Project. The musicians show people that music, just like the river, can be a force for unity that crosses borders between countries and cultures. Musical traditions from the various countries all have an influence, Egyptian singing rings out in harmony with a song from Ethiopia. A balofon from the Congo takes its place next to a lyre from Eritrea and a wooden flute from Egypt. A muted solo on the Arabian oud gives way to a song in which the singer laments the fact that the bond with the life-giving river has been broken. Bringing all of these diverse sounds together are drums, saxophone, bass guitar and electric guitar. The diversity of the instruments used and the fact that everyone brings material from their own tradition gives The Nile Project an attractive, vibrant sound full of constant shifts. Each member is a strong musical personality. But the group has managed to turn the music into a single, swinging whole through the ensemble’s tight synchronicity and shared desire to show the world that people can accomplish things when they cooperate.

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credits

vocals Adel Mekha, Nader El Shaer, Saleeb Loza, Asia Madani, Selamnesh Zemene, Kasiva Mutua, Steven Sogo, Michael Bazibu percussion Adel Mekha, Asia Madani, Kasiva Mutua, Michael Bazibu bass Ahmed Omar, Steven Sogo tambour Ahmed Omar oud Mohamed Abozekry kawala Nader El Shaer keytar Nader El Shaer farfisa Nader El Shaer krar Ibrahim Fanous electric guitar Dave Otieno ikembe Steven Sogo umiduri Steven Sogo etongoli Michael Bazibu adungu Michael Bazibu endingidi Michael Bazibu

This performance is made possible by

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