ShowcaseFolk Arts Fundamentals
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From Casablanca, Morocco, Bohsina bought his first keyboard at age 12, and – as he recounts – it grew with him. Today he is one of NYC vocalists’ most requested and respected keyboardists. By 16, Bo... more
By the age of 3 Jehan was already dreaming of becoming a bellydancer, having been introduced to the art form via the star dancers of Egyptian golden-age cinema. Pursuing the study of raqs sharqi or... more
Johnny Farraj has studied riq (Egyptian tambourine) and frame drum with Karim Nagi and Fairuz's percussionist Michel Merhej, both featured in Brooklyn Maqam. He also studied oud with Simon Shaheen and... more
Nagi, a native Egyptian, is an expert in Arab, Turkish and Andalusian hand percussion. He holds a Psychology degree from Skidmore College. Nagi has studied with Nabil Ata, Midhat al-Rashidi, Simon Sha... more
Kay Turner, Folk Arts Director
Dr. Kay Turner became the Director of BAC Folk Arts in October 2000. Kay works with Brooklyn traditional artists working in a range of disciplines—music, dance, material arts, narrative and foodways. ... more
Ladies Night: Solo Stars of Pop and Folk
Presented by BAC Folk Arts, Brooklyn Maqam Arab Music Festival is a rare opportunity to experience the remarkable variety of Arab music traditions that flourish throughout the metro area! WHEN: Wed... more
LaUra was born in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and comes from a family of traditional artists. Her mother, a professional dancer, was the granddaughter of one of the greatest Uzbeki poets of all time, Hamza ... more
Layla began studying Middle Eastern dance at the age of 19 at Serena Studios in New York City. Her passion for Middle Eastern dance led her to study with such masters of the form as Yousry Sharif, Ram... more
This dynamic, multigenerational ensemble of musicians and dancers presents Afro-Cuban folklore and Hispanic traditions through the tantalizing rhythms, choruses, and movements of the Rumba, the Mambo ... more
Malika Zarra was born in Morocco and raised in France, where she studied clarinet and voice. In 2004 she moved to New York City to develop her rich and eclectic style, drawing on gospel, funk and Sub... more
Dena El Saffar Dena El Saffar, of Iraqi and American heritage, was exposed to Arabic music in the suburbs of Chicago, where she grew up attending Iraqi gatherings with her family. She began learning ... more
To view images, sound, and video excerpts from Brooklyn Maqam programs click on an event title. Sunday, March 2 Brooklyn Maqam Begins Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College ... more
Arab Music and Dance Resources Iraqi Maqam Maqam World Music Website Najwa Adra The Oudman - Najeeb Shaheen Rashid's Music Sales Co., Inc Turath ... more
Maurice Chedid honed his oud playing at the Lebanese Conservatory of Middle Eastern Music, but comes from a family of musicians. His father was a highly esteemed cantor in the Maronite Church in Leba... more
Darrah Carr - Irish dance Don Coy - American square dance Yasser Darwish - Egyptian folk dances Leonardo Ivan Dominguez - Dominican merengue and folk dance Sherley St. Fort - Haitian dance Albert... more
Baklouk, a Lebanese riqq player and teacher in the Lebanese Conservatory, has worked with numerous pioneers of Arab music over the course of his long and successful career. Among the notable musicians... more
Abdullah graduated from the Institute of Classical Music, with a specialization in both Western and Arab violin, from his native city of Aleppo, Syria. Known for its listening community with scrupulo... more
Born in Marrakesh, Morocco, Bechar moved to Brooklyn with his wife and children in 1997. He first learned Gnawa traditions as a young boy from his mother’s family; his cousin was ma’alem or master Gna... more
Nabawy grew up immersed in the Egyptian popular and classical music emanating from Mohamed Ali street, the Cairo neighborhood celebrated for its professional musicians, dancers and music stores. As t... more
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Yhya started playing the tabla at age 5. His uncle performed at local celebrations and would bring Yhya along, sit him on a chair, and prop a drum on his knees. Soon Yhya w... more
Raised near Haifa, Najeeb Shaheen was trained on the oud by his father, the late Hikmat Shaheen. As a child, he and his brother Simon Shaheen were deeply influenced by the weekly regional broadcasts ... more
The Lebanese-American tenor Naji Youssef was born in the El-Shouf region of Lebanon and immigrated in 1988 to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where he is cantor for the Catholic Melkite Church of the Virgin Mary... more
Nicole Macotsis, Folk Arts Associate
As Folk Arts Associate, Nicole primarily manages the expansion and development of Folk Feet, a fieldwork driven documentation and presentation project on traditional dance in Brooklyn. Project manager... more
Ruskin is a composer and multi-instrumentalist with expertise in Arab, Turkish, and Persian music. Specializing in percussion, oud, and nay, Ruskin also performs and records on qanun, violin, rababa, ... more
Nourredine grew up in Casablanca, Morocco and began playing percussion as a teenager. Surrounded by Moroccan music traditions that are integral to Moroccan social celebrations, and greatly influenced ... more
Presented by BAC Folk Arts, Brooklyn Maqam Arab Music Festival is a rare opportunity to experience the remarkable variety of Arab music traditions that flourish throughout the metro area! WHEN: Wed... more
Participating Artists (Click on a name to view the artist’s bio) Najeeb Shaheen Dimitri Mikelis... more
Presented by BAC Folk Arts, Brooklyn Maqam Arab Music Festival is a rare opportunity to experience the remarkable variety of Arab music traditions that flourish throughout the metro area! WHEN: Thu... more
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