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Home , Dabke, Hamza El Din, Kronos Quartet, Osvaldo Golijov, Sahba Aminikia, Terry Riley

Music For Change: The Banned Countries

WHEN: VENUE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20 BING 7∶30 PM CONCERT HALL

Jay Blakesberg Program Artists

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh / Mugam Sayagi * Kronos Quartet David Harrington, * ًﺯﻏﻠﻠﺔ Islam Chipsy (arr. Jacob Garchik) / Zaghlala Composed for Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire John Sherba, violin Hank Dutt, Traditional (arr. Stephen Prutsman) / Wa Habibi (Beloved) + Sunny Yang, Ramallah Underground (arr. Jacob Garchik) / Tashweesh *

Aftab Darvishi / Winds from South * Brian H. Scott, Lighting Designer World premiere Brian Mohr, Sound Designer Omar Souleyman (arr. Jacob Garchik) / La Sidounak Sayyada (I’ll Prevent the Hunters from Hunting You) + Kronos extends special thanks to Izak Algazi (arr. Jacob Garchik) / Yetzav Ha-El + Chris Lorway and everyone at Stanford / Pareeshān (Abstracted) * Live, Abbas Milani and Roma Parhad Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky / Chang-Music IV: Movement II * of Stanford University’s Hamid and

Traditional (arr. Milad Yousufi) / Bia Ke Berem Ba Mazar + Christina Moghadam Program in World premiere Iranian Studies, Joel Tarman of Sunset Youth Services, Mira Nabulsi, and Dur-Dur Band (arr. Jacob Garchik) / Dooyo + Samuel Weiser, KPAA Intern. World premiere

Hamza El Din (realized by Tohru Ueda) / Escalay (Water Wheel) * Stanford Live extends special thanks to Persian Student Association, Stanford Interstitial music: Refugee Research Project, Abbasi Bass lines by Mamadou Kouyaté * Program in Islamic Studies, Center World premiere for African Studies, Continuing Studies, Freeman Spogli Institute for Sound collages by David Harrington, Joel Tarman, and Nikolás McConnie-Saad * World premiere International Studies, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Department of Music, The program will be performed without intermission. Stanford Global Studies Division, Center for East Asian Studies, CREEES * Written for Kronos + Arranged for Kronos Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, Department of Presented with support from Stanford University’s Religious Studies, History Department, Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program In Iranian Studies and the Department of Anthropology.

PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please be considerate of others and turn off all phones, pagers, and watch alarms. Photography and recording of any kind are not permitted. Thank you.

2 About the Program

Music for Change: The Banned Countries access to the , a policy must illuminate the present moment. that targeted citizens from seven The Banned Countries builds on that Kronos Quartet has always looked to Muslim-majority nations, all of which legacy. Drawn from throughout the music as a model for how to move are represented in this program. From far-flung Muslim world, the concert through the world. A creative and its inception some 45 years ago as a features newly commissioned cohesive force that doesn’t heed or vehicle for ’s epochal arrangements, such as Dooyo by recognize borders, music provides an anti-war cri-de-coeur Black Angels, Somalia’s Dur-Dur Band and Winds irrefutable response to those seeking through extraordinary works like Steve from South by ’s Aftab Darvishi, as to divide and demonize peoples. Music Reich’s haunted and well as pieces gleaned from Kronos’ for Change: The Banned Countries came the excavation of Cold War anxiety on long-standing repertoire. about in direct response to the 2017 the album Howl, USA, Kronos has Executive Orders severely restricting embraced the imperative that music —Program note by Andy Gilbert

Jay Blakesberg Program Notes

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh (b. 1947) “It begins as a meditation, in darkness, About Zaghlala, Andy Gilbert writes: Mugam Sayagi (1993) only the cello is lit, trying to wake the world with the call to prayer. The cello “If Kronos Quartet had a motto it might Franghiz Ali-Zadeh was born in Azerbai- is the composer’s voice—a woman. be something like: Taking string players jan, a republic of the Soviet States. She Nothing changes, and you don’t believe to places they’ve never been before. first came to prominence as a composer it can. It goes on and on, then With Jacob Garchik’s surging and performer while still a student of the suddenly, it explodes, in a flash! arrangement of Zaghlala (Blurred vision celebrated composer Kara Karayev. Ali- Concealed passion breaks out in wild caused by strong light hitting the eyes) by Zadeh is highly regarded for her creativ- dancing, or in virtuosic cadenzas. The Egyptian keyboardist Islam Chipsy, ity and distinctive style. Her violin plays an unbounded song of love Kronos not only transports intrepid compositions draw from the vocabulary where the soul flies high into the sky. string quartets to the ecstatic milieu of of modern European , It’s a competition among them all— a nightclub, but the chart also including the Second Viennese School, who can be more perfect? Then comes literally turns one ensemble member and incorporate the sounds of the finale, and an end. The cello is into a drummer, adding percussive (the main modal unit of music), alone again, intoning the sunset prayer. drive to the tune’s lapidary churn. As music traditional to Azerbaijan. As a The sound of the triangle echoes a part of Fifty for the Future, Kronos’ pianist, she performs at international myriad of stars.” ongoing project to make new music festivals, playing programs that include works readily available to aspiring the works of Crumb, Messiaen, and string ensembles, Garchik’s score is Schoenberg, composers she has popu- Islam Chipsy (b. 1985) accessible free on the Kronos website, larized for Eastern audiences. She is rec- Zaghlala (2017) ‘where you can see how the piece can ognized as a master interpreter of works Arranged by Jacob Garchik (b. 1976) be played in such a way that each one by 20th-century European and Ameri- of us can be the drummer,’ says David can composers, the Soviet avant garde, Islam Chipsy and his band EEK are a Harrington. ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if every and traditional Azerbaijani composers. three-way force of nature from Cairo, player in the world could described by those who’ve been be this Arabic drummer? So far Hank About Mugam Sayagi, caught in the eye of their storm as one Dutt is ours, but that’s not to say that Franghiz Ali-Zadeh writes: of the most exciting live propositions on the rest of us won’t do it at some point.’ the planet. At the core of the group lies “Kronos encouraged me to use the Azeri keyboard pioneer Islam Chipsy, whose “With his ear already drawn to the musical tradition of Mugami—a secret joyous, freewheeling sonic blitz warps region by the Arab Spring protests, language used in the 16th century to the standard oriental scale system into Harrington ‘kept coming back to Islam disguise emotions discouraged in Islam. otherworldly shapes, as flanked by Chipsy,’ he says. Part of Egypt’s Through Mugami, the ecstatic longing Mohamed Karam and Mahmoud Refat thriving underground music scene, of a man for a woman could be raining down a percussive maelstrom Chipsy’s EEK trio has carved out a expressed as the love of God. behind dual drum kits. singular sonic niche distinct from

4 the electro-chaabi artists who are “‘One of them actually has to play a incorporated European instruments almost required at wedding percussion instrument,’ he says. ‘That’s and European popular rhythms. celebrations. Raw and lo-fi, his music is always a challenge, but Kronos is not She also became known for her both virtuosic and unabashedly hand- afraid. For the other players, the parts renditions of Arab folk tunes and crafted: ’There’s a certain way that he are very rhythmic and syncopated. I religious songs. By the early 1960s plays where he takes his fist and slams simplified the drum part so that it’s Fairuz was a celebrity throughout the it into the keyboard that feels so playable for someone in a string Arab world; in her homeland, she is visceral and exciting,’ Harrington says. quartet. The challenge is to play sometimes known as the “Ambassador ‘There’s also this sense of fun and together and get a nice groove.’” to the Stars” for her emotional singing. abandonment. I can imagine thousands of people dancing.’ Traditional Ramallah Underground “Kronos premiered Zaghlala at NPR Wa Habibi (Beloved) Tashweesh (2008) Music’s 10th Anniversary Concert in [unknown/arr. 2003] Arranged by Jacob Garchik (b. 1976) December 2017. For Garchik, the Arranged by Stephen Prutsman challenge was capturing the torrential (b. 1960) Ramallah Underground (RU) is a textures generated by the drum kit musical collective, based in Ramallah, tandem of Mohamed Karam and Wa Habibi is a devotional hymn drawn Palestine, attempting to rejuvenate Mahmoud Refat and Chipsy’s from the Arab Christian tradition in Arabic culture through their music. RU keyboard, ‘which he plays like a . Meditative and soul- was founded by artists Boikutt, percussionist,’ Garchik says, employing searching, it is often sung on Good Stormtrap, and Aswatt. They produce inexpensive, cracked software like Friday as celebrated in the Arab music ranging from hip hop to trip hop FruityLoops on a keyboard designed Orthodox Church. On this holy day, to down tempo. The members started for Middle Eastern scales. The the hymn evokes the love and sorrow off as producers; Boikutt and instrument allows him to play huge, of spiritual faith. This arrangement of Stormtrap later picked up the mic and swooping glissandos with a finger, Wa Habibi is based on an began to MC in Arabic, which added a ‘glissing an octave or more up or down, interpretation, recorded live on Easter political layer to the music. Their work and I wasn’t sure if Kronos would be in the early 1960s, by the legendary comes out of a deep sense of their able to handle the speed and range. Lebanese singer, Fairuz (also spelled local culture and imposing presence of The string players have to do the hard Fayrouz or Fairouz). Met with Palestine in their lives. work, but it comes off really well.’ unprecedented enthusiasm, Fairuz’s early songs featured the singer’s The members of RU, as producers and “While some pieces by Arab composers distinct vocal timbre and lyrics as MCs, have collaborated and that Garchik has arranged for Kronos expressing romantic love and performed with artists across the require careful notation to capture nostalgia for village life. They meshed globe, from Lebanon, United Kingdom, microtonal nuances, on Zaghlala, he with a delicate orchestral blend, in Switzerland, United States, , The was more concerned with maintaining which Arab instruments figured Netherlands, and other countries. RU the piece’s relentless momentum. prominently, but which also subtly has also performed live shows in

5 Ramallah, Bethlehem, Vienna, London, and classical . Darvishi has About Winds from South, Aftab Darvishi Cairo, Lausanne, Brussels, Amsterdam, studied Music Performance at writes: and , DC. In recent live University of , Composition at performances, RU has incorporated a Royal Conservatory of The Hague “In the Southeast of Iran, in the visual set, created by Palestinian visual and Composing for film and Carnatic Baluchistan region, they believe that artist Ruanne. RU’s express hope is to Music (South Indian music) at there are winds that, when going to give a voice to and , Conservatory of Amsterdam. one’s body, are able to destroy the bringing an alternative voice from the body and mind. They believe that the Arab world. Darvishi has presented her music in only way to get rid of these winds is by various festivals in Europe and Asia holding a ceremony called ‘Govati.’ About Tashweesh, David Harrington of working with various ensembles. She This ceremony is strongly based on the Kronos Quartet writes: has also attended various artistic music. It’s very rhythmic, repetitive, residencies, such AiEP Contemporary and can last for days and nights. There “I first heard Ramallah Underground Dance Company (Milan), Kinitiras are similar healing ceremonies in the on MySpace. Their sound was studio (Athens), and Akropoditi Dance South of Iran that are strongly distinctive, and they seemed very center (Syros). She is a former influenced by African music, but interesting as a group. They were member of KhZ ensemble; an Govati is one of the few that is based open to the world of music. I began experimental electronic ensemble on pure Baluchi music. an email correspondence with them, with supervision of Yannis Kyriakides and found that one member lived in that has performed in various “In this piece, I am using the patterns Palestine, another in Vienna, and the festivals such as the Holland Festival. that are played in the introduction of third in Dubai. I sent them a bunch of After her graduation, she has been Govati. These patterns are usually Kronos CDs and in exchange they regularly invited as a guest lecturer at played by Ghaychak (bowed string sent me a lot of their music. After I the University of Tehran. instrument) in a certain mode called had spent a lot of time with their ‘Zahirouk.’ work, I felt it would be great if they In 2014, Darvishi was short-listed for would write for Kronos. Tashweesh is the 20th Young Composer meeting “Unfortunately, we are living in a time the result.” in Apeldoorn (Netherlands) and in in which, as an Iranian-Dutch Artist, I, 2015, she won the Music Education as many of my fellows, am not allowed award from Listhus Artist Residency to enter the United States of America. Aftab Darvishi (b. 1987) to hold workshops for presenting But I feel so blessed that I have a voice Winds from South (2018) Persian music to music teachers at called Music and it is probably Music School of Fjallabyggd, stronger than any presence. That is Aftab Darvishi was born in Tehran, Iceland. In 2016, Darvishi was how, with the great support of Kronos Iran. She started playing violin at age awarded the prestigious Tenso Quartet and Stanford University, my five, and as she grew older, she got in Young Composers Award for her piece Winds from South found its way, touch with other instruments like the piece And the world stopped Lacking all the way from Baluchistan, to be kamancheh (Iranian string instrument) you... for a cappella choir. heard tonight.”

6 Omar Souleyman (b. 1966) well as Jewish liturgical music. In his Petersburg State Conservatory under La Sidounak Sayyada (2009) mid-30s, he moved to Istanbul, where Boris Ivanovich Tischenko, a student of Arranged by Jacob Garchik (b. 1976) his fame as a rabbi and a musician . In his homeland, grew. During the decade in which he Aminikia studied under renowned Omar Souleyman is a Syrian musical lived in Istanbul, he became a major Iranian pianists Nikan Milani, Safa legend. Since 1994, he and his figure in the Jewish community, and Shahidi, and Gagik Babayan, and was musicians have been a staple of folk- also sang Turkish music for Atatürk at influenced greatly by the work with his pop throughout , issuing more Dolmabahçe Palace. He later moved first teacher composer Mehran Rouhani, than 500 studio and live-recorded to Paris and then to Montevideo, a student of Sir Michael Tippett. albums which are easily spotted in the Uruguay, where a significant shops of any Syrian city. He was born population of Jewish Izmir emigrants Aminikia received his Bachelor of in rural Northeastern Syria, and the had settled. He lived in South America Music and Master of Music with myriad musical traditions of the region for the remainder of his life. honors from are evident in his music. Classical Conservatory of Music under Dan Arabic mawal-style vocalization gives Though he was well known in Istanbul Becker, David Garner, and David way to high-octane Syrian Dabke (the in his prime, little written Conte, where he was the proud regional folkloric dance and party documentation about him exists. recipient of the Phyllis Wattis music), Iraqi Choubi and a host of However, there are a number of extant Foundation scholarship. He is the Arabic, Kurdish, and Turkish styles, recordings of his singing, which feature recipient of commissions from theater among others. This amalgamation is his exceptional range, that were troupes to contemporary classical truly the sound of Syria. His popularity originally released on 78 rpms. A ensembles, Persian traditional music has risen steadily and the group digital transfer of some of these groups to bands, including Kronos tirelessly performs concerts throughout recordings was released by Quartet, Symphony Parnassus, San Syria and has accepted invitations to Records on the album Cantor Isaac Francisco Conservatory of Music New perform abroad in Saudi Arabia, Algazi: Sweet Singer of . This Music Ensemble, Mobius Trio, Delphi Dubai, and Lebanon. arrangement of the Hebrew prayer Trio, and The Living Earth Show. Yetzav Ha-El, with text by the 12th- century Jewish poet-philospher About Pareeshān, Sahba Aminikia Izak Algazi (1889–1950) Yehudah Halevy, is inspired by a writes: Yetzav Ha-El (arr. 2012) recording from this album. Arranged by Jacob Garchik (b. 1976) “Parviz Yahaghi (1936–2007) was one of the most prominent Persian One of the great Sephardic singers of Sahba Aminikia (b. 1981) violinists and a composer of many the early 20th century, Rabbi Izak Pareeshān (Abstracted) (2016) iconic melodies. He lived in Iran for the Algazi Efendi was born in Izmir, a entirety of his life, despite the fact that Turkish port city on the Aegean Sea. A Born in Tehran, Iran, composer and he was banned from performing and third-generation Jewish cantor, he was pianist Sahba Aminikia studied music publishing for almost 20 years after a master of Ottoman Turkish music as composition in Russia at the St. the Iranian revolution in 1979. He was

7 allowed to publish two albums in the Massachusetts (1992, for Presentiment), Traditional late 1990s, but during his last years, he the Prix Spécial de Nantes at the Bia Ke Berem Ba Mazar (arr. 2018) was no longer physically able to play Festival International du Film de Arranged by Milad Yousufi (b. 1995) the violin. He belonged to the Cannes (1992, for Kammie [film score]), generation of composers who and the Prize of the About Bia Ke Berem Ba Mazar, translated Persian music for Western Cinematographers Union of Milad Yousufi writes: instruments and developed their own Uzbekistan (1995, for The History of methods of performance and sonority, Islam, shared with Felix Yanov- “Bia Ke Berem Ba Mazar is an old in accordance to the fine details of Yanovsky [score for a series of folkloric song from Afghanistan sung in Persian music theory. These techniques animated films]). He founded the Dari, which is one of the dialects of the are unique and dictate that the string annual festival for contemporary modern Persian language spoken in instrument be processed and music Ilkhom-XX in Tashkent in 1996 Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The amplified. These portable amplifiers and served as its artistic director until song is about the beautiful, historically are manufactured in Iran, and for the 2006. He later served as composer-in- holy city of Mazar-e Sharif and two purpose of this piece, four of them residence at the Siemens Foundation/ lovers. It is also a plea for all human travelled a long way from Tehran to Hearing Instruments Factory in New beings to see an end to suffering. The San Francisco to make it to the Jersey in 2002 and at Harvard reason I had this song in mind to premiere. This piece is an homage to University from 2008–10. arrange as a refugee was to express one of Parviz Yahaghi’s melodies my love for Afghanistan and Afghan named ‘Pareeshān’ (abstracted).” About Chang-Music IV, people who have witnessed decades Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky writes: of war and invasion, and yet, who always manage to rise up and rebuild. Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky (b. 1963) “In 1990 I composed a piece for Chang-Music IV (1993) chang alone, Chang-Music I. Further “Ayesha, a beautiful lady whose love Movement II compositions for different story became well known in the entire instrumental ensembles then Khorasan, composed and sung this Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, one of the followed: Chang-Music II for two song for her beloved in the 16th most prominent Uzbek composers, (1990), Chang-Music III for century. Their love story is still well studied composition and string trio (1990), Chang-Music IV for known and often discussed, especially instrumentation with his father Felix string quartet (1993), and Chang- on the first day of spring, as their love Yanov-Yanovsky. He attended Music V for chang and string quartet story and dreams came true on the first masterclasses with Edison Denisov, (1994). These works are not meant to day of spring (the Persian New Year). Poul Ruders and IRCAM. Among his form a real cycle, but nevertheless honours are Deuxième Prix in the they have many common features in “My arrangement of Bia Ke Berem Ba competition for sacred music in their rhythmic and melodic idiom, in Mazar is inspired by four different Fribourg (1991, for Lacrymosa), First their treatment of the instruments, versions that are being performed Prize in the competition of the and in the architecture of their worldwide in different languages, ensemble ALEA III in Boston, musical forms.” styles, and tempos.”

8 Let us go to Mazar (Shrine) O dear Mullah Mohammad To see the tulips there, O sweet beloved O generous one, O lion of God, heal my pain Plead on my behalf before God Let us go to Mazar (Shrine) O dear Mullah Mohammad Let us weep and weep, O sweet beloved

Dur-Dur Band Dooyo (2013) Arranged by Jacob Garchik (b. 1976)

After Kronos’ Artistic Director David Harrington mentioned The Banned Countries initiative while chatting with a Somali woman following a performance, she spoke of the profusion of extraordinary music that surrounded her when she was growing up. “I asked if she could make a selection of music that was important to her, and I got this amazing email with all kinds of possibilities,” Harrington says. “One of the first suggestions was Dur-Dur Band. I spent Jay Blakesberg the next year listening to as many of their tracks as I could find, and I keep coming back to ‘Dooyo.’ There’s something remarkable about that creativity and wide-open aesthetic that various permutations around the music. It magnetizes me every time I characterized Mogadishu in the 1980s. dauntingly diverse continent. “Dooyo” is hear it.” While steeped in jazz and traditional a dance floor anthem with infectious Somali forms, Dur-Dur Band was dialed call-and-response vocals, and it’s not Gleaned from the album Dur-Dur Band into from around the hard to hear why the group was among Vol. 5 (Awesome Tapes From Africa), the world, particularly funk and disco Somalia’s most popular by the late incantatory piece exemplifies the roiling grooves reabsorbed and refracted in 1980s. Like in neighboring Ethiopia, a

9 golden age of music came to a rapid long. Kronos Quartet’s The Banned between Africa and the ,” and horrific end with the fall of the Countries is part of the tide sweeping he said. “I wanted the Quartet to central government. Decades of the walls away. represent the sound of my instrument, unrelenting civil war have scattered the . The challenge was to make Somali musicians around the world —Program note by Andy Gilbert audible the overtones that only the (Dur-Dur Band’s lead vocalist is musician can hear from a solo reportedly living in Columbus, Ohio), instrument—the ‘unheard’ voice. and the band’s recordings have (1929–2006) Amazingly, Kronos performs it as if survived mostly via low-fi cassette Escalay (Water Wheel) (1989) they are from that place. tapes. Realized by Tohru Ueda “I was in New York when the Aswan Commissioned to create an In the society of what once was , Dam was finished. I lost my village. arrangement of “Dooyo,” go-to Kronos the waterwheel was the oldest When I went back and saw my village confederate Jacob Garchik keyed into mechanical device used for farmland and my people in a different place, I the mysterious details that make the irrigation. When Nubian musician saw in their eyes the loss. I saw my piece distinctive. ”If you transcribe the Hamza El Din was commissioned by people were lost. They had moved to song it doesn’t look that different from to compose his first an almost semi-desert place. When I any American funk tune, but something piece for the Kronos Quartet, he came back I was lost myself. I was about the low-hi recording and the sought to recreate both the sounds playing my oud, doing nothing except sound of the guitar is very African, a and the images of that ancient culture. repeating a phrase. I was on the water rhythmic nuance or the way it’s tuned,” “My country was flooded after the wheel, the oldest surviving machine in he said. More than anything he sought construction of the ,” El Din our land. Whoever sits on that machine to tap into the song’s celebratory feel. explained, “and we lost it after a will become hypnotized by that noise. recorded history of 9,000 years, so I “It’s going to be funky and fun and have a nostalgia for that place. “ introduced me to Kronos, danceable,” he said. “The challenge is Escalay is a representation of how to who asked me to write a piece for them. trying to make it groove. I’d like to do a start the waterwheel and let it run.” They liked the idea of the water wheel. little sound design too. There’s a Everyone who sits behind the oxen, effect when the vocal comes in, and Born in Nubia in 1929, and educated at which help the water wheel go round, that’s something that would be cool to the Fouad Institute of Music in Cairo will express himself according to his do on the violin. We’re creating and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in age. If it’s a child, he’ll sing a children’s something new of course, but , El Din was living and teaching song. If it’s a woman or a man, they’ll hopefully this arrangement can let in the San Francisco Bay Area at the sing a love song. If it’s an older man, people know about music that they time of his death in 2006. For Escalay, he’ll sing a religious song. I wrote this as otherwise might not hear.” he drew upon both the musical and the sound of the older man, so with the cultural traditions of his homeland. Kronos it becomes a religious song.” Like a sandcastle on the beach, barriers “Our music system is Afro-Arab—we dividing peoples aren’t destined to last are a bridge, musically and culturally, —Program note by Derk Richardson

10 About the Artists

Jay Blakesberg

Kronos Quartet releasing more than 60 recordings of Kronos’ adventurous approach dates For more than 40 years, San extraordinary breadth and creativity, back to the ensemble’s origins. In 1973, Francisco’s Kronos Quartet—David collaborating with many of the world’s David Harrington was inspired to form Harrington (violin), John Sherba most intriguing and accomplished Kronos after hearing George Crumb’s (violin), Hank Dutt (viola), and Sunny composers and performers, and Black Angels, a highly unorthodox, Yang (cello)—has pursued a singular commissioning more than 950 works Vietnam War–inspired work featuring artistic vision, combining a spirit of and arrangements for string quartet. bowed water glasses, spoken word fearless exploration with a Kronos has received over 40 awards, passages, and electronic effects. commitment to continually reimagine including both the Polar Music and Kronos then began building a the string quartet experience. In the Avery Fisher Prize, two of the most compellingly eclectic repertoire for process, Kronos has become one of prestigious awards given to musicians, string quartet, performing and the most celebrated and influential a Grammy for Best recording works by 20th-century groups of our time, performing Performance (2004) and “Musicians of masters (Bartók, Webern, Schnittke), thousands of concerts worldwide, the Year” (2003) from Musical America. contemporary composers (Vladimir

11 Jay Blakesberg

Martynov, Aleksandra Vrebalov, Sahba with many of the world’s foremost in 2014. In 2015, Aminikia), jazz legends (Charles composers. One of the quartet’s most released One Earth, Mingus, Maria Schneider, Thelonious frequent composer-collaborators is One People, One Love: Kronos Plays Terry Monk), rock artists (, The “Father of ” Terry Riley, Riley, a five-disc, four album box set Who’s , Sigur Rós), and whose work with Kronos includes dedicated to Riley that included the artists who truly defy genre Salome for Peace (1985–86); Sun new release Sunrise of the Planetary (performance artist , Rings (2002), a NASA-commissioned Dream Collector: Music of Terry Riley. visual artist Trevor Paglen, spoken- multimedia ode to the earth and its Kronos commissioned and recorded the word poets from Youth Speaks). people that features celestial sounds three string quartets of Polish composer and images from space; and The Henryk Górecki, with whom the group Integral to Kronos’ work is a series of Serquent Risadome, premiered during worked for more than 25 years. The long-running, in-depth collaborations Kronos’ 40th Anniversary Celebration at quartet has also collaborated

12 extensively with composers such as National, múm, and Lau’s Martin Green, Sam Green and Joe Bini that features , recording an album of his and has appeared on recordings by live narration by Green and live music string quartets in 1995 and premiering artists such as , Dan Kronos Quartet, premiered in 2018 at String Quartets No. 6 in 2013 and No. 7 in Zanes, Glenn Kotche, Dave Matthews the Sundance Film Festival and 2014; Azerbaijan’s Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Band, , , Wexner Center for the Arts at The whose works are featured on the full- Don Walser, Angelique Kidjo, and Dan Ohio State University and begins length 2005 release Mugam Sayagi; Wilson. In dance, the famed touring the world later this year. , whom Kronos has worked choreographers Merce Cunningham, with on recordings of the Grammy- Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Eiko & Koma, The quartet spends five months of winning composition Different Trains and Paul Lightfoot and Sol León each year on tour, appearing in (1989), (2001), and WTC 9/11 (Nederlands Dans Theater) have concert halls, clubs, and festivals (2011); among many other composers created pieces with Kronos’ music. around the world including Carnegie and arrangers. Hall, Disney Hall, Barbican in London, Kronos’ work has been featured BAM Next Wave Festival, Big Ears, In addition to composers, Kronos prominently in a number of films, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, counts numerous performers from including the Academy Award– WOMAD, Amsterdam’s around the world among its nominated documentaries How to Concertgebouw, Shanghai Concert collaborators, including the Chinese Survive a Plague (2012) and Dirty Wars Hall, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, virtuoso ; Azeri master (2013), for which Kronos’ David , Victoria Hall in vocalist ; legendary Harrington served as Music Supervisor. Geneva, Switzerland, and Haydn Hall Bollywood “playback singer” Asha Kronos also performed scores by Philip in Schloss Esterhazy. Bhosle, featured on Kronos’ 2005 Glass for the films Mishima and Dracula Grammy-nominated CD You’ve Stolen (a 1999 restored edition of the 1931 Tod Kronos is equally prolific and wide- My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman’s Browning-directed Bela Lugosi classic), ranging on recordings. The ensemble’s Bollywood; Inuit throat singer Tanya by for the Darren expansive discography on Nonesuch Tagaq; Mexican rockers Café Tacvba; Aronofsky films Noah (2014), The Records includes collections like Pieces the Romanian gypsy band Taraf de Fountain (2006), and Requiem for a of Africa (1992), a showcase of African- Haïdouks; the Malian griot musicians Dream (2000), by Terry Riley for born composers, which simultaneously Trio Da Kali; and Iranian vocalist Mahsa François Girard’s Hochelaga terre des topped Billboard’s Classical and World Vahdat. Kronos has performed live with âmes (2017), and by Jacob Garchik for Music lists; 1998’s ten-disc anthology, the likes of Paul McCartney, David Guy Maddin’s The Green Fog — A San Kronos Quartet: 25 Years; Nuevo (2002), a Bowie, , , Francisco Fantasia (2017). Additional Grammy- and Latin Grammy– Jarvis Cocker, Zakir Hussain, Modern films featuring Kronos’ music include nominated celebration of Mexican Jazz Quartet, Noam Chomsky, Rokia La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty, culture; and the 2004 Grammy-winner, Traoré, , , 2013), 21 Grams (2003), Heat (1995), and ’s , featuring Howard Zinn, Betty Carter, Van Dyke True Stories (1986), among others. A renowned soprano . In Parks, Caetano Veloso, k.d. lang, Thousand Thoughts, a live documentary celebration of the quartet’s 40th Amanda Palmer, , The co-directed and written by filmmakers anniversary season in 2014, Nonesuch

13 released both Kronos Explorer Series, a Kaufman Music Center’s Face the include recordings, videos, five-CD retrospective boxed set, and Music, Ruth Asawa San Francisco performance notes, and composer the single-disc A Thousand Thoughts, School of the Arts, San Francisco interviews, are available on featuring mostly unreleased recordings Conservatory of Music, and through kronosquartet.org. Lead partner from throughout Kronos’ career. the Embassy Adoption Program (a Carnegie Hall and an adventurous Kronos’ most recent releases include program of Washington Performing group of project partners, including Folk Songs, which features Sam Arts and District of Columbia Public presenters, academic institutions, Amidon, , Rhiannon Schools), among other institutions in foundations, and individuals, have Giddens, and Natalie Merchant singing the U.S. and overseas. Kronos has joined forces with KPAA to support this traditional folk songs with recently undertaken extended exciting program. arrangements by Jacob Garchik, educational residencies at UC Muhly, Donnacha Dennehy, and Gabe Berkeley’s Cal Performances, Holland Witcher; the collaborative album Festival, Texas Performing Arts Arranger Biographies Ladilikan with Trio Da Kali, an Association at the University of Texas ensemble of Malian griot musicians at Austin, New York University Abu Jacob Garchik assembled by Aga Khan Music Dhabi, and Mount Royal University Jacob Garchik, multi-instrumentalist Initiative; the collaborative album Conservatory. and composer, was born in San Landfall with the venerable multi- Francisco in 1976 and has lived in New disciplinary artist Laurie Anderson; With a staff of 11, the nonprofit Kronos York since 1994. At home in a wide Clouded Yellow, a collection of work Performing Arts Association (KPAA) variety of styles and musical roles, he is written for Kronos by Bang on the Can manages all aspects of Kronos’ work, a vital part of the Downtown and founding composer Michael Gordon; including commissioning, concert tours Brooklyn scene, playing trombone with and vinyl re-releases of Pieces of Africa, and local performances, education the Lee Konitz Nonet, Ohad Dracula, , and The programs, and a self-produced Kronos Talmor/Steve Swallow , Mary Fountain. Music publishers Boosey & Festival in San Francisco. In 2015, Halvorson Octet, and the John Hawkes and Kronos have released two KPAA launched Fifty for the Future: The Hollenbeck Large Ensemble. He has volumes of Kronos Collection sheet Kronos Learning Repertoire, an released four albums as a leader music, featuring works by Terry Riley, education and legacy project that is including The Heavens: the Atheist Gospel Hamza el Din, Aleksandra Vrebalov, commissioning—and distributing for Trombone Album. He co-leads Brooklyn’s and . free—the first learning library of premiere Mexican brass band, Banda contemporary repertoire for string de los Muertos. Since 2006 Garchik has In addition to its role as a performing quartet. Designed expressly for the contributed dozens of arrangements and recording ensemble, the quartet is training of students and emerging and transcriptions for Kronos Quartet committed to mentoring emerging professionals, ten new works (five by of music from all over the world. performers and composers and has women and five by men) are being led workshops, master classes, and composed each year over the next five Stephen Prutsman other education programs with years. Scores and parts, as well as Born in Los Angeles in 1960, Stephen Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, supplemental learning materials that Prutsman began playing the piano by

14 ear before moving on to more formal Institute of Music, and when The Records. She has written four works for music studies. In his early teens, he Afghan Youth Orchestra was formed in Kronos, including a piece for Fifty for the was the keyboard player for several 2011, Yousufi became the first Afghan Future: The Kronos Learning rock groups, including Cerberus and Conductor. Yousufi has since moved to Repertoire. Vysion. In the early ‘90s he was a the United States, after being awarded medal winner at the Tchaikovsky and a full scholarship to attend Mannes Islam Chipsy’s Zaghlala was Queen Elisabeth piano competitions, School of Music in New York. He has commissioned as part of the Kronos which led to performances in various composed for The New York Performing Arts Association’s Fifty for the prestigious music centers and with Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, The Future: The Kronos Learning leading orchestras in the U.S. and Refugee Orchestra Project, among Repertoire, which is made possible by a Europe. In 2004, Prutsman was others. He hopes to make a difference group of adventurous partners, including appointed to a three-year term to the in the future of music and culture in Stanford Live, Carnegie Hall, and many position of Artistic Partner with the Afghanistan and be the bridge others. Launched in the 2015/16 season, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where between east and west. Kronos’ Fifty for the Future is he acts as composer, arranger, commissioning 50 new works—by 25 conductor, program host, and pianist. women and 25 men—devoted to Prutsman’s long collaboration with Commission Credits contemporary approaches to the string Kronos has resulted in over 40 quartet and designed expressly for the arrangements of distinctive and Aftab Darvishi’s Winds from South; training of students and emerging varying musical languages. Milad Yousufi’s arrangement of Bia Ke professionals. Kronos premieres each Berem Ba Mazar (Traditional); Jacob piece and creates companion digital Milad Yousufi Garchik’s arrangement of Dur-Dur Band’s materials, including scores, recordings, Milad Yousufi is a pianist, composer, Dooyo; Mamadou Kouyaté’s bass lines; and performance notes, which can be conductor, poet, singer, painter, and and David Harrington, Joel Tarman, and accessed online for free. calligrapher of Afghan culture and Nikolás McConnie-Saad’s sound collages heritage. Born in 1995 during the civil were commissioned by the Hamid and Stephen Prutsman’s arrangement of war and Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Wa Habibi (Beloved) was when music was completely banned, Studies at Stanford University for the commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by Yousufi began painting at the age of Kronos Quartet’s Music for Change: The Simon Collier. two—he painted piano keys on paper Banned Countries. and pretended to play. For five years, Ramallah Underground’s Tashweesh, when the Taliban rule was lifted, the Franghiz Ali-Zadeh’s Mugam Sayagi was arranged by Jacob Garchik, was arts flourished in Afghanistan, and commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by after only three years of formal piano Nora Norden and appears on Kronos’ the Columbia Foundation and the David training, Yousufi was accepted into a recordings Mugam Sayagi: Music of Harrington Research and Development music program in Denmark. Upon his Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Night Prayers, and Fund. Kronos’ recording is available on return to Afghanistan, Yousufi began Kronos’ 10-CD box set Kronos Quartet: Floodplain, released on Nonesuch teaching at the Afghanistan National 25 Years, all released on Nonesuch Records.

15 Jacob Garchik’s arrangement of Omar and is included on the Quartet’s Nonesuch Reshena Liao, Souleyman’s La Sidounak Sayyada recording Pieces of Africa. Sheet music Creative Projects Manager was commissioned for the Kronos Quartet for Escalay is available in Volume 1 of the Nikolás McConnie-Saad, by the David Harrington Research and Kronos Collection, a performing edition Office Manager Development Fund. published by Boosey & Hawkes. Brian Mohr, Sound Designer, Technical Manager Jacob Garchik’s arrangement of Izak For the Kronos Quartet/Kronos Kären Nagy, Algazi’s Yetzav Ha-El was commissioned Performing Arts Association: Strategic Initiatives Director for the Kronos Quartet by the David Janet Cowperthwaite, Brian H. Scott, Harrington Research and Development Managing Director Lighting Designer Fund, and is part of a five-song cycle Mason Dille, dedicated to the memory of Harold Goldberg. Development Manager Contact: Dana Dizon, Kronos Quartet/ Sahba Aminikia’s Pareeshān Business Operations Manager Kronos Performing Arts Association (Abstracted) was commissioned for the Sarah Donahue, P. O. Box 225340 Kronos Quartet by the Production Operations Manager San Francisco, CA Kronos Performing Arts Association. Lauren Frankel, 94122-5340 USA Development Associate kronosquartet.org Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky’s Chang-Music IV Scott Fraser, facebook.com/kronosquartet was commissioned for the Kronos Quartet Senior Sound Designer instagram.com/kronos_quartet by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Sasha Hnatkovich, twitter.com/kronosquartet Communications Manager Hamza El Din’s Escalay was Sara Langlands, The Kronos Quartet commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by Community Engagement & records for Nonesuch Records. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Festival Manager

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Tickets and information: Beethoven Meets Frankenstein The Routes of Slavery live.stanford.edu Nov 3 • 7∶30 PM Jordi Savall Bing Studio Nov 4 • 4∶00 PM Bing Concert Hall

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