Workshops and Outreach

Friday, March 29, 2019, 12:30 -1:30 p.m. Queen’s Colloquium Series Melos and Queen’s University host Alpharabius, a musical ensemble dedicated to exploring the musical interactions of the rich cultures of the Mediterranean from the 9th-19th centuries. Joining them is new Kingston resident, and traditional Egyptian dancer, Angelina Thorne.

Location: Room 120 of Dan School of Drama and Dance, Harrison-LeCaine Hall, Queen’s University, Kingston.

Featuring renowned Arabic music historian, Dr. George Sawa, playing qanun; percussionist Suzanne Meyers-Sawa, and members of Sine Nomine Ensemble for Mediaeval Music on period instruments, Alpharabius will perform European and Middle Eastern instrumentals from centuries of cultural exchange, and accompany traditional Egyptian bellydance by Ms Thorne.

Co-sponsored by Melos Choir and Period Instruments, in preparation for their May 11th concert at the Isabel Bader Center, Early Music and Dance, Middle East to France, 9th-19th centuries.

Saturday March 30, 9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Open Workshops and presentations: Arabic & European Musical Cultures, Influences & Interactions, 9th-16th centuries. How much can we know, what can we reconstruct? Come learn from east-west Early Music specialists,  Alpharabius and Sine Nomine. Topics include Ancient Egyptian dance (eg. Belly dance), Middle Eastern percussion;  evolutions of oud, lute and guitar; Islamic medieval courtly culture, and playing recorder/renaissance instrumental music influenced by the east.

Led by members of Alpharabius and Sine Nomine Ensembles

Sessions to be held at Quintilian School 41 Baiden St. and St John’s Anglican Church, 41 Church St., Portsmouth Village, Kingston. Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early for any session. 

Cost: Free-will offering, $10 per session, or as able. Cash or cheque made to Melos to help offset costs.

9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Traditional Egyptian Bellydance Dr. George Sawa, qanun, leads open bellydance workshop w/ Suzanne Meyers-Sawa, percussion. At Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. in gym.  

9:30 a.m. -10:45 a.m. Recorder Workshop – late 16th c. Polyphony.  Led by members of Sine Nomine, Andrea Budgey and Randall Rosenfeld, using A440  recorders, all are welcome! At Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. in one of the classrooms. Arrive 9:20. To register: please email holly.gwynnetimothy@gmail.com or call (613) 767 7245. Give your name and your preferred range of recorder/s. Holly will email scores to participants.  

Repertoire: Brade Der_Mohren_Tantz; Gervaise, Pavane La Venissienne (1550); Tielman – Susato La morisque 1551.

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Pilgrim’s Chant, Medieval Spain- Dum Pater Familias – Bryan Martin of Sine Nomine Ensemble for Mediaeval Music leads vocal workshop for men and women, in Moorish- influenced chant of Medieval Spain. At St. John’s Anglican Church, 41 Church St.

At 10:45 Chant Workshop leaders/ interested participants should relocate/walk over to alternate location, for next workshop of interest: at Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. or at St.,  John’s Anglican Church, 41 Church St., for second set of workshops.

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Hand drumming workshop – Traditional North African and Egyptian  techniques. Led by Suzanne Meyers-Saw: If able, please bring Dumbek, Darrabukka, Tambourine, or frame drum (i.e. not drums held between the knees). At Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. in one of the classrooms. Arrive 11:00 for 11:10 start.

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Presentations: Arabic & European Musical Cultures, Influences & Interactions: how much can we know, what can we reconstruct? (Citing al-Isfahani’s Kitab al-Aghani (Grand Book of Songs); London, British Library Add. MS 29987; Demetrius Cantemir, The Collection of Notations). Led by by Dr. George Sawa and Randall Rosenfeld of Alpharabius and Sine Nomine. With Instrumental demos; time for audience questions/discussion. At Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. in the gym.

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Guitar-olution: Arabic Oud, European Lute & Guitar, 12th-19th c. Bryan Martin (Alpharabius) and Jeff Hamacher (Melos/KSO) present talks on Arabic oud, its influence on European lute/guitar. With demos on oud/ lute/ guitar. Q & A and hands on for audience included. At Quintilian School, 41 Baiden St. in one of the classrooms. 

4111:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Medieval Chant for Saint Katherine of Alexandria Led by Rev. Andrea Budgey of Alpharabius/Sine Nomine. All singers welcome. At St. John’s Anglican Church, 41 Church St.

Special thanks to our workshop sponsors; City of Kingston, the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area, Kingston Arts Council, and TD Bank.