Sanctuary & Solidarity

Award-winning vocal collective SANSARA join forces with the acclaimed United Strings of Europe and Syrian oud player Basel Saleh to present a powerful sequence of choral and instrumental music on the timely and enduring themes of sanctuary, solidarity and displaced peoples. With music by renowned Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, the programme features Caroline Shaw’s striking To the Hands – a six movement cantata responding to Dietrich Buxtehude’s Ad manus from his Membra Jesu Nostri. The concert also includes an original work In the Midst by Piers Connor Kennedy featuring the choir and Arabic-inspired improivisations on the violin from Julian Azkoul. The project was released as an album In the Midst on the Platoon label.

Past performances
25 Nov 2022 – St Martin-in the Fields Church, London
14 Dec 2024 – Milton Court, Barbican Centre, London

Programme

Basel Saleh – Oud improvisation
Hildur Guðnadóttir (arr. Martin) – Fólk fær andlit
Caroline Shaw – To the Hands
Piers Connor Kennedy/Julian Azkoul – in the midst
Thomas Tallis – In manus tuas
Caroline Shaw (arr Kennedy) – and the swallow
Basel Saleh – Oud improvisation and Tahmeel Hijaz

Performers

SANSARA
Tom Herring Director
United Strings of Europe
Julian Azkoul Director
Basel Saleh Oud

Running time: 70 minutes without an interval. —> Pls get in touch for current bios and photos