ENGLISH HOLLAND FESTIVAL 2016 theAFRICA EXPRESS Orchestra PRESENTS... Of sYRIAN musicians © MARK ALLAN WITH DAMON ALBARN & GUESTS INFO choir Abdalhade Deb, Basel Saleh, Hamsa Mounif, Heba Fahmeh, Iyad Hanna, Lina Alshahin, Louna Mohamad, Mais Harb, WED 22.6 Mervat Rafiea, Mirna Kassis, Mohamad Saleh, Omran Abo Zainaldin, Osama Al Sultan, Ossamah Kiwan, Raneem starting time Barakat, Reem Rafiea, Samer Jaber, Sanaa Barakat, Tammam 8 pm Taifour venue visuals Koninklijk Theater Carré Tammam Azzam, Jaber Al Azmeh running time musical advice full evening Issam Rafea introduction production 7.15 pm, by René van Peer Africa Express co-commissioned by CREDITS Holland Festival, 14-18 NOW Unfortunately, due to visa performers reasons, Issam Rafea will not be Damon Albarn and guests: Bassekou Kouyaté, Bu Kolthoum, with us tonight. Eslam Jawaad, Faia Younan, Malikah, Mounir Troudi, Noura For personal reasons Baaba Mint Seymali, Paul Weller, Rachid Taha, TALA, Seckou Keita Maal and Lotfi Bouchnak will not join us tonight. musicians Al Mothana Ali, violin Amer Dahbar, percussion Badi Rafea, percussion Emad Moursi, cello Fajer Alabd Allah , double bass Feras Charestan, qanoon Jamal Al Sakka, percussion Jamil Al Bittar, violin Jehad Jazba, violin Joseph Samaan, viola Khaldoun Al Najjad, viola Maher Mahmoud , oud Mazen Hamzeh, percussion Mhd Majed Jaredeh, violin Mohamad Amir Karjoli, violin Mohamad Namik, cello Moslem Rahal, nai (reed flute) Mouhamad Souhaib Alsamman, cello Nawaf Hlal, violin Rachid Hlal, violin, orchestra leader Raghad Haddad, viola Razan Kassar, violin Sousan Eskandar, violin Tarek Zaidieh, violin Thaer Eid, viola Walid Khatba, violin Patron This concert is made possible by Coproduction This concert is part of the HF Young programe. programmeT no ES ABOUT THE ARTISTS The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians features current and former members of the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic In the spotlight tonight are the members of The Orchestra of Music (SNOAM). SNOAM started life as the Orchestra for Ara- Syrian Musicians, featuring former and current members of bic Music, which was founded in 1990 by the Syrian Ministry the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music (SNOAM). of Culture, together with the Higher Institute of Music. Issam The orchestra will be joined by performers from Britain and Rafea, as then chief conductor, completely restructured the Syria as well as Algeria, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, orchestra in 2003, professionalising it and giving it its current Tunisia and the United States, including Damon Albarn, name. It has performed in Syria, Tunisia, Germany and Italy. Bassekou Kouyaté, Bu Kolthoum, Eslam Jawaad, Faia Younan, The orchestra took part in the Damascus Opera House’s Malikah, Mounir Troudi, Noura Mint Seymali, Paul Weller, opening ceremony in 2004. As well as performing tradi- Rachid Taha, Seckou Keita, and TALA for a rare concert to tional Arabic music, SNOAM also performs contemporary showcase Syrian and Arabic music. music based on traditional forms. Whilst traditional Arabic music usually maintains a single melody, SNOAM emphasises Albarn first played with Syrian conductor Issam Rafea and harmony as an extra dimension in its performances, while SNOAM musicians at the Damascus Opera House in 2008. preserving the musical and spiritual identity of the music. He later worked with Rafea and members of the orchestra SNOAM performs all kinds of traditional Arabic music, for the when they appeared on the Gorillaz track White Flag. The most part vocal repertoire. The orchestra also performs les- musicians, together with Rafea, joined Gorillaz on their 2010 ser-known instrumental Arabic music, to which it gives its own Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour which included shows at interpretation. Adnan Fathallah currently heads the orchestra the 11th century Citadel in Damascus, Syria, as well as dates in in Damascus, where it still performs. Lebanon and across Europe and North America. As a result of the ongoing conflict, many Syrian musicians Damon Albarn is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, – including Issam Rafea – have been forced to leave their producer and composer whose eclectic musical style and country. This special concert will see musicians who previously observational lyrics have made him one of the UK’s most worked with Albarn, travelling from both inside and outside influential and consistently interesting musicians. Best known Syria, to reunite for an orchestral performance of Arabic for his work with Blur and Gorillaz, other releases include: Mali music alongside Albarn and the other guest performers. The Music (2002) recorded with local musicians in Mali; The Good, event will highlight and celebrate the remarkable music cultu- The Bad and The Queen (2007) with Paul Simon, Tony Allen re of Syria, offering an alternative providing a more positive and Simon Tong; Kinshasa One Two (2011) by DRC Music – perspective than events currently seen in the news. recorded with Western producers and contemporary Con- As well as tonight’s concert in Amsterdam, The Orchestra of golese musicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo over Syrian Musicians will open the UK’s high profile Glastonbury 5 days in July 2011 to benefit Oxfam; Rocket Juice and The Festival, ahead of a show at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Moon (2012) with Tony Allen and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Centre, London which will be streamed globally via YouTube; Peppers and Dr Dee (2012); and the critically acclaimed Africa with additional dates also scheduled for Istanbul and Den- Express presents… Maison Des Jeunes (2013) which saw Africa mark’s Roskilde Festival next week. Express bring Western artists together with local Malian musi- cians to make an album in just 5 days. 2014 saw the release REUNION of Albarn’s first solo album, the Mercury Award nominated The orchestra members have been looking forward to Everyday Robots. working together again. ‘It’s fantastic Damon Albarn has brought the orchestra back together,’ said Rafea, who is still Hailed as the most revolutionary force in popular music for involved with the orchestra as a muscial advisor. ‘It was his two decades, Africa Express brings together musicians from idea – fifty former and current members of the orchestra different cultures, genres and generations to break bounda- will join the tour: twenty singers and thirty instrumentalists. It ries and promote cross cultural collaboration through music. wasn’t straightforward getting so many of us together. A lot Africa Express began in 2006 with a trip to Mali, when of work has been done behind the scenes – Africa Express has co-founder Damon Albarn took Western artists to work laboured tirelessly.’ with African legends such as Toumani Diabate, Salif Keita, Rafea sees this reunion as more than just a festive occasion. Amadou & Mariam and Bassekou Kouyaté. This was followed It is a concert for peace in a time of pain and despair: ‘I’m by the now-legendary Glastonbury 2007 show, followed by convinced that music can make an effective contribution trips to Nigeria, the Congo, Ethiopia, together with shows in a towards peace. It’s no easy task, but the universal language Liverpool variety hall and at the BBC Electric Proms, as well as of music can enable us to communicate openly and with a for a 25,000 strong crowd in Paris town centre and 50,000 positive and peaceable attitude with musicians from other people on a Spanish beach show. In 2012 a week-long train parts of the world, in spite of our differences. This is ultimately tour of the UK, with more than 100 artists taking part, captu- the core of any meaningful peace – in Syria, too. The orches- red global headlines. Last year they headlined Roskilde Festi- tra is performing here with an overwhelming sense of sadness, val in Denmark. Each event is unique, based upon on-the-spot but Syrians have decided life must go on. They don’t give up, collaboration and filled with one-off moments of magic. however much pain they suffer. They carry on making music, Album releases include the critically acclaimed album Africa art and theatre, in the hope of a better future. I’m sure that Express Presents… Maison Des Jeunes (2013) recorded in by using all of the energy we have in us we can show a little Bamako, Mali. Africa Express musicians and producers, inclu- of Syria as it should be. We hope the situation in Syria soon ding Brian Eno, Nick Zinner, Ghostpoet and Damon Albarn, returns to normal.’ set up a temporary studio in a city youth club and worked with a new wave of contemporary Malian musicians – inclu- ding Songhoy Blues, Kankou Kouyaté and Bijou – to complete Noura Mint Seymali is a singer, and instru- the album in one week. The resulting 11-track album captures mentalist from Mauritania. She began her the spontaneity and excitement of a unique week in a coun- career at age 13 supporting her legendary try famed for its musical heritage, yet which saw music briefly stepmother Dimi Mint Abba on vocals. banned in much of the nation following 2013’s coup and mili- She plays the ardin, the nine-stringed tant takeover in the north. And in January 2015, to mark the harp traditionally played only by women. 50th anniversary of Terry Riley’s pioneering masterpiece In C, Her songs are dominated by the electric Africa Express released the first African version of the mini- guitar work of her husband Jeiche Ould malist classic, Africa Express presents… Terry Riley’s In C Mali, Chighaly. which has been praised by critics and won a major award. Paul Weller (b. 1958, Woking) is an English GUESTS singer and musician. He achieved fame with the band The Jam, and had further Bassekou Kouyaté (b. 1966, Garana) is success with The Style Council, before one of the true masters of the ngoni, an establishing himself as a solo artist in 1991.