Nile Project Musicians from Sudan and Eritrea
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IN RESIDENCE AT NC STATE LIVE from March 15 to 21, 2017 Burundi, Democratic Republic about sustainable practices, environmental and social of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, justice, and responsible student leadership and activism. Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda – the It means that over the course of the next 6 days, you 11 Nile River basin countries. will have the opportunity to meet new people, visit new spaces, and explore topics of interest to you Before spring of 2015, I hate to through the lens of music. Concerned about refugee admit that I may not have been struggles? Join us for a screening of The Eritrean able to name more than a couple Exodus on March 19 and hear the personal stories and of these countries….and certainly would not have been music of Nile Project musicians from Sudan and Eritrea. able to place them geographically. Now, after two years Want to explore how music can shift the geopolitical of conversations and planning for the Nile Project at NC paradigm? Check out the Musical Collaboration & Water State, they are imprinted on my brain and in my heart. Cooperation conversation on March 20. (See pages 7-10 for details of these and all public Nile Project events.) How does a collective of musicians from 11 countries in Africa impact the world? As Mina Girgis, Egyptian Water scarcity affects everyone. Here in North ethnomusicologist and inspired co-founder of the Nile Carolina there are 17 river basins, all experiencing Project simply, but profoundly said to me two years unique upstream and downstream challenges and ago – “it starts with the music.” opportunities. The 2017 Nile Project tour includes stops with six North Carolina universities exploring issues Tonight you will hear that music – music born of a and topics of relevance and meaning to their distinct collaborative spirit brought on by a sense of urgency. campuses, communities, and watersheds. The Nile River is the longest river in the world, and nearly every drop of water that flows through it is used I owe a huge debt to the NC State University Foundation, before it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. Acclaimed the NC State Sustainability Fund, and our campus scholar and scientist, Ismail Serageldin, warned in 1995 partners. In particular, I want to thank Tracy Dixon and that “if the wars of this century were fought over oil, Rebekah Dunstan of the University Sustainability Office, the wars of the next century will be fought over water Nicole Wilkinson of the Water Resources Research -- unless we change our approach to managing this Institute, and Jonathan Kramer of the Music Department precious and vital resource.” for their unqualified support, guidance and inspiration from start to finish over these past two years. (See page The Nile Project proposes to change that approach by 11 for a full list of thank you’s.) shifting the discourse from a geo-political argument to a unifying conversation that puts music at the forefront Finally, a heartfelt thank you to my amazing staff of dialogue. In using music as the starting point for the Stephanie Clark and Liza Green and to the inspiration conversation, they seek to create a space where people of it all – the inimitable Mina Girgis. who would otherwise not meet come together, where discussions that would normally not occur take place and So, enjoy the music tonight. We hope this is only the where ideas that are not usually connected are linked. beginning of the conversation with you. So what does this mean to us? At NC State, this model Sincerely, of cooperation is sparking conversations and dialogue Sharon Moore live.arts.ncsu.edu Director, NC State LIVE 919.515.1100 tickets / @NCStateLIVE PHOTO ON COVER: LAILA YASSER THE NILE PROJECT Concert in Stewart Theatre Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 7:30pm Pre-Show discussion with Nile Project Co-Founder, Mina Girgis at 6:30pm Post-Show Q&A session with Nile Project musicians immediately following the concert. HABI GIRGIS NileFEST Tuesday, March 21, 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm Stafford Commons, NC State Join us for a free outdoor festival to celebrate the culmination of the Nile Project residency at NC State LIVE. The family-friendly event will feature a closing concert by the Nile Project, an interactive mural with the Crafts Center and guest artist Dare Coulter, Junk Jams with The Scrap Exchange, food from the Nile region, and more! NileFEST is a Wolfpack Certified Sustainable Event. 3 PETER STANLEY HABI GIRGIS 4 NILE PROJECT Artists Adel Mekha .............Egypt, Nubia / Vocals, Percussion Ahmed Omar ............Eritrea, Egypt / Bass, Tanbour Asia Madani .............Sudan / Vocals, Percussion Dave Otieno .............Kenya / Electric Guitar Ibrahim Fanous ..........Eritrea / Krar Kasiva Mutua ............Kenya / Percussion, Vocals Michael Bazibu ...........Uganda / Entongoli, Adungu, Endingidi, Percussion, Vocals Mohamed Abozekry ......Egypt / Oud Nader El Shaer ...........Egypt / Kawala, Accordion, Farfisa, Vocals Saleeb Fawzy ............Egypt / Vocals Selamnesh Zemene .......Ethiopia / Vocals Steven Sogo .............Burundi / Vocals, Bass, Ikembe, Umiduri Adel Mekha: A widely respected Nubian percussionist expressive playing can tell a story on its own, and vocalist based in Cairo, Mekha’s knowledge of or keep a band perfectly in the pocket. traditional Nubian rhythms and an expressive singing voice have brought him work with a wide range of Micheal Bazibu: A member of Uganda’s leading ensembles and projects. traditional music and dance company, Ndere, for the past 17 years, Bazibu plays several traditional Ugandan Ahmed Omar: Born in Libya to an Eritrean father and stringed and percussion instruments with virtuosic grace. Egyptian mother, it is no surprise that mixing cultures has become part of Omar’s creative output. Today, Mohamed Abozekry: Despite his tender years, this he plays bass for several leading Egyptian bands and Egyptian oud player has a stunning command of his organizes the AfriCairo festival and music project. instrument, as well as an open ear for other forms, skills that got him a recent album deal with Harmonia Mundi. Asia Madani: A Sudanese vocalist and percussionist residing in Cairo, Madani grew up surrounded by Nader El Shaer: Born in the culturally rich town of Port music with a father that played oud and a professional Said, Egypt, El Shaer taught himself accordion and ney, percussionist as a brother. She is a captivating performer only to fall in love with the tones of the kawala (end- who has appeared at many international festivals. blown cane flute) and its role in Arabic classical music. Dave Otieno: One of Kenya’s leading guitarists, Saleeb Fawzy: Born in Minya, Egypt, vocalist and Otieno is fluent in the Benga style common to the percussionist Fawzy has a deep knowledge of coptic Lake Victoria region. He has toured throughout Africa church hymns and has toured throughout Europe and and Europe and recently performed at the Folklife the Arab world. He is currently working on Tawasol Festival at the Smithsonian, Washington D.C. project, helping people to learn through art. Ibrahim Fanous: An Eritrean kraar player and vocalist Selamnesh Zemene: Hailing from a long line of based in London, Fanous began his vocal training unique culture bearers in Northern Ethiopia, this young at a young age in Eastern Sudan in three different singer has brought her traditions to collaborations with languages—Arabic, Tegrenia and Amharic. He performs indie darlings like Debo Band and The Ex. internationally throughout North Africa and Europe. Steven “Sogo” Irambona: Born in Burundi, Steven Kasiva Mutua: Kenyan percussionist and singer Irambona started to play the guitar and sing at an Mutua may have learned drumming from her early age. He is a World Bank Musical Ambassador grandmother, but has developed her own knack for for Burundi and a popular voice of the people. powerful beats. One of Kenya’s leading drummers, her Irambona has lived in exile in the USA since 2015. 5 Nile Background This mounting resource scarcity has contributed to a geopolitical conflict between upstream and downstream The Nile, one of the world’s most iconic rivers, has riparian states. Tremendous political capital has been captivated the imagination of millions throughout expended to draft the Nile Cooperative Framework time. Originating in two sources – Lake Victoria in Agreement, an international treaty to govern water East Africa and Lake Tana in the Ethiopian highlands distribution and infrastructure projects differently from the – the 6,670-kilometer river flows northward through existing 1959 Egyptian-Sudanese treaty giving Egypt the a diversity of climates, landscapes, and cultures majority water right annually. While the agreement has yet before passing through Egypt and emptying into the to win mutual consensus, the arduous negotiation process Mediterranean Sea. has exposed the deep-seated mistrust between countries, the absence of opportunities for citizen-led dialogue and Its 450 million inhabitants are projected to double within the lack of a unified identity and vision for the future the next 25 years, placing an ever increasing demand for development of a shared Nile ecosystem. Nile water; water that is tied to all aspects of life - from the food on tables to the electricity that powers homes The Nile River Basin is wrought with political, to people’s health. Even now, people living along the environmental, economic, and social challenges requiring Nile are vulnerable to water-related hardships. At least a new approach to better address the myriad challenges five nations in the Nile Basin are facing water stress. it faces. As regional tensions flare, the Nile Project offers Seven of the eleven Nile countries continue to suffer a unique grassroots strategy to effectively mobilize from undernourishment rates higher than 30%. Less thousands of people across the Nile Basin and beyond in than 10% of basin residents have access to electricity.