Kronos Quartet and Alim Qasimov Ensemble

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Kronos have brought remarkable singers as their guests to the Barbican before - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Dawn Upshaw and Asha Bhosle among them - and for the first Barbican Hall concert of
Ramadan Nights, they present the world premiere of their work with Azerbaijan's greatest singer, the legendary Alim Qasimov.

In this remarkable new work, commissioned by the Aga Khan Music Initiative in Central Asia, Kronos and the Alim Qasimov Ensemble will each play solo sets, and the evening will culminate in Alim Qasimov, his daughter Fargana, the ensemble and Kronos performing arrangements of Azeri bardic songs.

'Qasimov sings with passion and dramatic flair.' The New York Times

Line-up:

Kronos Quartet:
David Harrington                  Violin
Hank Dutt                              Violin
John Sherba                         Viola
Jeffrey Zeigler                       Cello

Alim Qasimov Ensemble:
Alim Qasimov                       Voice and Daf
Rafael Asgarov                     Balaban
Rauf Islamov                        Kamancha
Ali Asgar Mammadov         Tar
Fargana Qasimova              Voice and Daf
Vugar Sharif-Zada                Percussion 

Freestage 6.30pm
Come and experience Youth Music Voices, a new ensemble of young singers from across the country performing songs from around the world. This is a sampler for nationwide activity that will unfold between now and 2012 and is a key element in one of the ten major projects of the Cultural Olympiad.

The ensemble will be directed by Richard Frostick, performing new arrangements by Harvey Brough and backed by a trio of talent - BBC Jazz Award winning pianist Tom Cawley, Zero 7 bassist Rob Mullarkey and drummer Simon Lea







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