Join us for a grand celebration concert honoring Distinguished Professor of Ethnomusicology A.J. Racy’s 40 years of teaching at UCLA. The program features original compositions by Racy and will include performances by UCLA faculty members and a string quartet from the Department of Music. The UCLA Near East Ensemble, directed by Racy, will also perform his original works. Special guest artists and faculty members Parisa – one of the foremost female vocalists from Iran, Amir Hosein Pourjavady and Pejman Hadadi will perform a set of Persian music, and alumnus Nabil Azzam will play a violin solo that he composed. Other alumni and students of Racy will perform in an Arab takht ensemble, comprised of ‘ud, nay, violin, and other traditional Arab instruments. Racy will make a special guest appearance.
A. J. Racy is a performer, composer and distinguished professor of ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He also serves as the director of undergraduate studies at the school of music. He is a master of many traditional instruments, particularly the nay, a reed flute, and the buzuq, a long-necked fretted lute. Born in Lebanon, he comes from a well-known family of artists, scholars, and academicians. Racy is internationally recognized for his extraordinary musicianship and his numerous publications, including his award-winning book, Making Music in the Arab World: The Culture and Artistry of Tarab (Cambridge University Press, 2003).
Celebrating A.J. Racy's 40 Years at UCLA features a two-day conference and an evening concert. See the entire special program, here.