Closing Night Party
April 25, 2010
The IBCC Closing Night Parties have become quite legendary for not only the world famous Bellydancers who perform at it (Randa Kamel, Tito, Amir Thaleb, Leyla Zahar, Ranya Renee, Amani Jabril ... just to name a few) but for its funky atmsophere and powerfully joyous and tearful goodbyes to all of the friends and mentors we have met.
Held at Acrobat Restaurant & Lounge
2464 Yonge Street, Toronto
Tickets: Free for IBCC 2010 Registrants * $20 at door for public!
IBCC 2010 Closing Night Party featuring special guests: Mahmoud Reda, Khairiyya Mazin and Sema Yildiz, plus surprise performances from international Bellydance stars!!!
Bassam Bishara
Palestine/Canada
Vocals, Oude, Qanun
Prof. Bassam Bishara was born in Ramah village, upper Galilee, Palestine in 1954. He began his early training in Middle Eastern Oude at the Academy of Music in Hafia and at the University of Jerusalem. He eventually went on to teach in private schools and formed a Middle Eastern Orchestra quickly becoming sought after throughout Palestine. In 1983, he was appointed Music Director for Alhakawati Theatre in Jerusalem, where his concerts, music and songs were dedicated to the Palestine cause. He has toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States performing with an orchestra and as a soloist. Now living in Canada, he composes and records music for many artists including Arabesque Dance Company. He is the lead vocalist, oude and violin player as well as musical director for Arabesque and is professor of Midde Eastern Music at York University.
Suleiman Warwar
Palestine/Canada
Lead Dumbek
Suleiman Warwar was born in Nazareth, Palestine in 1977. He began playing Arabic Tablah or Dumbek at age 6. The self-taught musician was the lead Dumbek player in his high school orchestra in Nazareth and performed traditional and modern musical pieces around the country. Suleiman immigrated to Canada in 1995 where he was introduced to Latin American, African, Turkish and many other types of music. As well as traditional Arabic percussion including Dumbek, Duff, Katim and Riqq, Suleiman also plays Bongos, Congas and Djembe. His innovative style of drumming has led him to play with such artists as Bassam Bishara, George Wasouf and in various peace movement events. Suleiman is a sought after master dumbek artist who is invited around the world to teach. He is the lead dumbek player for the Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra and has composed many popular drum solos available on his CD entitled "Beyond Rhthym" and the Arabesque Dance Company CDs entitled "Nawaem", Asala 1 and Asala 2.
George Barbas
Canada
Daholla
George plays dohola, dumbek and bongos with Arabesque. Having studied percussion styles from various cultures, Middle Eastern and Greek percussion is where he spends the vast majority of his practice and playing time. In addition to his role with Arabesque, George is lead percussionist with the Canadian composer and award winning multi-instrumentalist, Yiannis Kapoulas. Having often been asked how an individual with Greek origins has become adept in Middle Eastern music, his response is: "Middle Eastern and Greek music share many similarities. With the dumbek in particular, Arabic culture invented and mastered the instrument. The crossover to Greek music is seamless."
Performer Name
Canada
Keyboard
Walid Najjar began his musical path 18 years ago in elementary school, when he first picked up the drums to perform for a local television show with his classmates and school. From there, his musical interests quickly grew to include a wide variety of percussion instruments, as well as singing and voice work to accompany his playing. Born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1978, and living in the United Arab Emirates until the age of 17, Walid moved on to the guitar and keyboards after immigrating to Canada 11 years ago. From a self-taught keyboardist, to a first time keyboard-playing performer in 1997, to now the leader of his own professional band, Walid can be seen, and heard, performing with Arabesque Dance Company, and at weddings and parties across North America. His musical ambitions, and eagerness to learn more about the musical arts, have currently led him to re-enter music school with the famed Professor, Bassam Bishara, to study the violin.
Performer Name
Lebanon/Canada
Lead Dumbek
Milad Daher was born in 1987 in Bierut, Lebanon. Milad's father was a musician who played with well-known performers such as Nadia Jamal, Fairuz, Geroge Wassouf, and Sabah. Watching his father and travelling with him to performances gave Milad the confidence and motivation to pursue a career in music. He started playing the tablah (dumbek) at the age of 5. At the age of ten he played with Samira Toufik, Diana Haddad, and Ala Zalzali. Milad began to play music professionally at the age of 13. He plays many Arabic instruments including the dumbek, katim, daff, and daholla. In 1999 Milad immigrated to Canada where he expanded his repertoire to include a variety of world musical styles.
Eddy Suleiman
Iraq/Canada
Born in 1985 in Baghdad, Eddy was drawn to music from an early age. He started to play the keyboard before settling on his instrument on choice, the violin, in 1995. He studied the violin at the Edward Sa'ed National Conservatory of Music in Ramallah city and played both Western and Arabic classical music with numerous groups including Maqamat, Edward Sa'ed and Daniel Barenboim Orchestra, Sanabel and Yallalan, performing in Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He attended many workshops, musical summer camps including workshops with renowned musician Simon Shaheen in Talita Qumi. In 2005 he instructed at the Kufiyeh Music School in Birzeit, teaching violin skills and techniques. Eddy joined the Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra in 2006.