Music and Dance from Central Asia: Shashmaqam

In Central Asia, Jewish artisans traditionally were responsible for the color dying of ikats, as well as music for both Jewish and Muslim celebrations. In conjunction with our ikats exhibition, experience music and dance from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with this ensemble of prominent artists from New York’s Central Asian community. Shashmaqam specializes in wedding music for vocals, lute (tanbur), accordion, and percussion, as well as the region’s classical repertoire for which the ensemble is named. The ensemble features music director Shumiel Kuyenov on frame drum (doira), David Davidov on lute (tar), Rafael Badalbaev on accordion, guest vocalist Rustam Samarqandi, and dancer Firuza Yagudaeva. Each performance will be introduced by ethnomusicologist Evan Rapport, author of Greeted with Smiles: Bukharian Jewish Music and Musicians in New York (Oxford University Press, 2014).