Oakland East Bay Symphony Presents "Notes from the Middle East" on April 20

Oakland East Bay Symphony (OEBS) and Music Director Michael Morgan will transport their audience to the Middle East at 8 pm on April 20 at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland with Notes from the Middle East. Egyptian composer Nader Abbassi, Israeli composer Avner Dorman, Israeli pianist Eliran Avni and Palestinian-American composer John Bisharat will join together for an evening of music meant to inspire understanding and dialogue. Works include Abbassi’s The Nile Bride, Dorman’s Astrolatry, Grieg’s Piano Concerto, and the world premiere of Bisharat’s Ya Way Li, commissioned by the Oakland East Bay Symphony as part of the New Visions/New Vistas commissioning project. The concert continues OEBS’ popular and ground-breaking “Notes from” series that introduces audiences to music by important world composers. Daniel Alfred Wachs will join as guest conductor, and other guest artists include Ahmed El Azmer, vocals & percussion; John Bilezikjian, oud; Pedro Eustache, woodwinds; Susu Pampanin, Fatima Z. Lahlou & John Villa, percussion. A pre-concert talk by John Kendall Bailey will commence at 7 p.m. and the concert is sponsored by Moses and Susan Libitzky. NOTE: this concert is on Saturday evening, not the usual Friday evening of OEBS concerts so as not to conflict with observation of the Jewish Sabbath.