Return of the Grossmont College Middle Eastern Music Ensemble. San Diego is home to a number of music ensembles specializing in various world-music traditions. However, none has been dedicated specifically to the study and practice of music from the Middle East and North Africa. Founded in 2019 and online most of 2020, this semester marks the return of the Caravan World Music Ensemble, directed by Grossmont College adjunct music professor Farhad Bahrami. The ensemble, open to all levels and instruments, focuses on music that stretches from the Moorish kingdoms of Andalusia in Spain, down through Morocco, and across the rim of Africa to the rich music traditions of Afghanistan and Iran. The one-unit class offered through the department of music offers students and community members an opportunity to become involved in a living tradition of music that includes possibilities outside of Western music, including the so-called “quarter-tone” interval characteristic of some, but not all, Middle Eastern music. Additionally, students will learn about rhythmic systems of the Middle East and improvisation, as well as areas of interest to the players themselves. The Grossmont Middle East Ensemble, the first of its kind in the county, will be working toward performances with an eye on enriching the already vibrant San Diego music scene with the diversity of music from the Middle East and North Africa. The Caravan World Music Ensemble will meet every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. for the Fall 2021 Semester at Grossmont College in Room 225, with flexible opportunities to practice starting on August 19.For more information on joining the Caravan World Music Ensemble, contact Farhad.Bahrami@gcccd.edu and/or join the Facebook group (GMEE) at goo.gl/r57ojQ.
