The Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble announces The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh Tour

Xauen Music has confirmed the upcoming nationwide tour, “The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh,” featuring the Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble (CCOE) with guest vocalists Youssef Kassab and Rozann Khoury. The tour is presented in conjunction with the release of the CCOE’s new CD, “The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People.”

Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh is widely acknowledged as “the father of modern Arabic music;” his songs and style have enchanted the Arab world since the early 20th century. A spokesman for a developing Egyptian identity at a key transitional time in history–the quest for independence–Darweesh was well-known for his witty, original, and humorous personality and for his tireless work. He composed a repertoire of hundreds of songs spanning a wide range of genres during his seven-year career, cut short by his death at the age of thirty-one.

Led by Hicham Chami, the Chicago lassical Oriental Ensemble consists of professional musicians from several different countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa who perform classical music from the Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, and Sephardic traditions. Instrumentalists performing in the concert series are Kareem Roustom, ‘ud; Hanna Khoury, violin; Hicham Chami, qanun; Kinan Abou-Afach, cello; and Karim Nagi, riqq.

Xauen Music is a Chicago-based organization dedicated to preserving the heritage
of traditional Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, and Sephardic music. Xauen Music produces concerts, publishes scores and a magazine, records and distributes CDs, and hosts the annual Heartland Seminar on Arabic Music and Dance.

Concert schedule:

New York, NY
Friday, February 17
Peter Norton Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th St.
New York, NY 10025-5400

Boston, MA
Saturday, February 18
Sanders Theatre, Harvard University
45 Quincy St.
Cambridge, MA 02138

Washington, DC
Monday, February 20
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20566

Ann Arbor, MI
Tuesday, February 21
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
911 North University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1308

Chicago, IL
Sunday, February 26
Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602

Seattle, WA
Tuesday, February 28
Town Hall Seattle
1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Seattle, WA 98101

Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, March 2
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
14900 La Mirada Boulevard
LaMirada, CA 90638

Concert starting times are 8:00 p.m. except for the Kennedy Center, which is
6:00 p.m.

Additional information and tickets are available at xauen-music.com or by
calling 1-888-699-2836.