Simon Shaheen Trio Performs at SU September 23

SALISBURY, MD---Arabic music virtuoso Simon Shaheen brings the sounds of the Middle East to life at Salisbury University 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 23, in Holloway Hall Auditorium.

Shaheen is a master of the violin and the 'oud, a traditional stringed instrument of Middle Eastern music. He teaches at schools and universities including Julliard, Columbia, Princeton and Harvard. His concert schedule has  included Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.

Shaheen studied violin at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Jerusalem and finished his graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music and Columbia University in New York City. 

Shaheen and his band, Qantara, won 11 Grammy nominations for their 2001 album Blue Flame. The band has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Chicago World Music Festival and New York’s Central Park Summer Stage.

The Los Angeles Times calls Shaheen a “success in combining characteristics of Middle Eastern music, Western classical music, jazz and Latin rhythms into a gorgeous tapestry.” The New York Times describes Shaheen’s music as “performed with virtuosic sophistication.” Billboard calls his music “brilliant and outstanding.”

Sponsored by the Office of Cultural Affairs in part of this semester’s “The Arts and Culture of the Arab World” fall cultural events series, admission to Wednesday’s performance is free and the public is invited. Tickets are not required. For more information call 410-543-6271 or visit the SU website at www.salisbury.edu.