Ensemble director Yuval Ron (center) plays the oud, or Middle Eastern lute, for the March 1 meeting of Nazarian Center Director Arieh Saposnik's course on Israeli politics, society and culture. Jamie Papish is on percussion; Maya Haddi, vocals.

Weekend of Middle Eastern Music

On Saturday night, master musicians from Morocco play a free concert showcasing the culture and sounds of the Gnawa people, on campus in Schoenberg Hall. On Sunday afternoon in the same venue, the Yuval Ron Ensemble caps off a UCLA lecture series with a performance of Middle Eastern music that is free for students.

This Sunday at 4:00 p.m., the Yuval Ron Ensemble — locally based performers of traditional Israeli and Middle Eastern music who've played and sung for the Moroccan king, the Dalai Lama and international festivals — will conclude a two-week residency at UCLA with a concert, including special guests, that covers sounds "From Spain to Jerusalem."

That's one day after Moroccan performers are to put on a free concert in the same venue, UCLA's Schoenberg Hall, featuring the musical culture of the Gnawa people.

Student admission to Sunday's concert by the Yuval Ron Ensemble is also free, and faculty and staff members with ID may purchase $10 tickets at the box office or the UCLA Central Ticket Office. General admission tickets ($15) are available from Ticketmaster.

To RSVP for Saturday's 7:30 p.m. Gnawa music concert, visit the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies.

Published: Wednesday, March 02, 2011

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