Contact: Michele Abba

805-756-2406; mabba@calpoly.edu

SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble will showcase music from multiple regions for its Spring Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, in Spanos Theatre at Cal Poly.

Several classic Iraqi songs, as well as celebrated selections of Lebanese, Palestinian, Romanian and Syrian music, will be featured.

Composers, poets and artists to be represented on the program include the Anton Pann Ensemble, Elias Rahbani, Fairuz, Marcel Khalife and Nazem al-Ghazali.

“Al-Madrasa Al-Arabiyya,” a composition by Arab Music Ensemble Director Ken Habib, will have its world premiere.

Critically acclaimed guest artists to be featured include Ishmael on qanun (zither), Fathi Aljarrah on kamanja (violin), and Faisal Zedan on riqq (tambourine), daff (frame drum) and darabukka (goblet drum).

San Luis Obispo dance director Jenna Mitchell will lead the dance troupe in the performance of original choreography that dialogues with the music.

The Arab Music Ensemble is an orchestra and choir with vocal and instrumental soloists. Its membership represents a range of majors on campus and professions off campus. The dance troupe has a similar composition and has collaborated with the Arab Music Ensemble since its formation in 2006.

Tickets are $20 for the public, and $10 for students. Event parking is sponsored by the PAC. Tickets are available at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call 805-SLO-4TIX (805-756-4849). The Music Department offers a 20% discount to patrons who buy season tickets to four of its events through the Cal Poly Ticket Office.

The concert is sponsored by Cal Poly’s Music Department, College of Liberal Arts and Instructionally Related Activities program. For more information, visit the Music Department’s calendar website, email music@calpoly.edu or call 805-756-2406.