The Rose Ensemble will perform its concert “Jerusalem: Treasures from the Holy Land” at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 in Ritsche Auditorium in Stewart Hall.
The concert program, created in collaboration with three Israeli and Palestinian guest artists, features centuries of music from and about the city of Jerusalem.
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The show features vocal music from a wide range of traditions and styles, including Sufi mystical songs, Latin and Yemenite chant, Hebrew cantillation, spiritual music from across the Arab world, and a huge array of Middle Eastern instruments.
Featured guest artists include Iraqi-born, Israeli violinist and oud player, Yair Dalal; Jerusalem-born, Palestinian multi-instrumentalist, Zafer Tawil; and Israeli-born, Middle Eastern percussionist, Dror Sinai.
The evening will include a post-concert talk featuring Artistic Director Jordan Sramek, members of The Rose Ensemble, and the guest musicians immediately following the performance. In addition to the concert, the complete troupe of 11 musicians will hold an educational event for St. Cloud State students earlier in the day.
“Jerusalem is a name that evokes 3,000 years of human history. The physical city holds profound religious and cultural significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims, but Jerusalem and the greater Holy Land also represent a celestial realm, rich in symbolism and spiritual history for the children of Abraham,” Sramek said. “This programmatic concept is fertile ground for musicological and cultural research, and the elements of this program will reflect what the city has meant to people since ancient times.”
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors or students with ID and free for children 12 or younger and students with a St. Cloud State ID.
St. Cloud is one of 12 communities in Minnesota where the group will perform Sept. 17-30. The concerts are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. The project was also supported by the Howard B. and Ruth F. Brin Jewish Arts Endowment and support from the Otto Bremer Foundation, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the Target Foundation.
