.:. World Festival of Sacred Music .:.

Join us as we mark the opening of the 2008 World Festival of Sacred Music- Los Angeles with sounds both ancient and new. Bear witness to the profound ways in which each group-- diverse in sound, magnificent in presentation-- seeks revelation and connection to unseen powers. From the deep meditative resonance of Tuvan throat singing to the infectious Pourtuguese fado, Brazilian samba and Caribbean zouk; from the hypnotic rhythms of Sufi and Qawwali music of the Indian Thar desert to the calmness of ancient mystical Persian music; from the yearning tenderness of Javanese songs to the shared spirit of improvisational jazz--the opening allows us to gather as one world and mark the beginning of our sixteen-day festival with wonder and awe at our many paths.
	Chirgilchin (Tuva) Taking their name from a word meaning “miracle”— literally, “dance of air in the heat of the day”— Chirgilchin, is an ensemble of young virtuoso singing musicians from Tuva, a small republic in central Asia near Mongolia and Tibet. The members of Chirgilchin are masters of several styles of throat singing, each with its own capacity to mimic elements of the wild steppe, To witness their music is to enter the deepest regions of human voice and to dream of another reality-the reality of the mountains, the horses and the ties to land.
	Waldemar Bastos (Angola) The great voice of contemporary Angola, Bastos defected to Portugal in 1982, because his homeland, once one of Africa’s richest, was brutalized by civil war. Hope and reconciliation are the themes explored in his music. Bastos is an intuitive musician—urbane, cosmopolitan, drawing from a wealth of influences, local and global—uses his shimmering guitar and golden, yearning voice to create infectious and passionate songs and styles from Angola, the Congo, Brazil, Porgutal, and beyond.
	Lian Ensemble(USA) The art of improvisation lies at the heart of the mystical heritage of classical Persian music. The Lian Ensemble —founded by three composer/instrumentalists, Houman Pourmehdi (tonbak, percussion, nay), Pirayeh Pourafar (tar), and Mahsid Mirzadeh (santour)—is a group of renowned performers based in Los Angeles who embrace these two realms with warmth and exquisite sophistication. The intensely woven textures of their music and gentle reciprocity of their playing has been described by the LA Times as “gifted” and “virtuosic”.
	Rupayan (India) From the caravan routes of the Thar desert of Rajasthan in northern India comes the heady rhythmic music of the Langas and Manganiars. Representing unbroken lineages of folk tradition, Rupayan is an eight-member ensemble of hereditary musicians, poets, and singers. A spectacular convergence of Muslim musicians, Hindu devotion and local culture, Rupayan’s desert ballads, guided by clapping hands, drums and harmonium tell stories of epic heroism and love for god, while stylistically belonging to qawwali - the devotional music of the Sufis—an ancient stairway to divine ecstasy. Rupayan has performed worldwide, and toured for three years with the /Zingaro/ equestrian show.
	Emiko Susilo (Indonesia) and Rob Levit (USA) Cultures develop in a cyclical fashion, evolving with elements of the past and creating new ones. This may be an apt process to describe the genesis of Asmarandana ----an intuitive, intimate and supple collaboration between the award winning American jazz guitarist Rob Levit and Emiko Susilo - a classical vocalist of extraordinary grace and depth whose voice - beautiful, clear toned and with phenomenal range was nurtured and sculpted amidst the ancient temples of a Balinese village. The word Asmarandana means “the fire of passion,” “the price of love,” or “to give love,” but however you translate it, what you will hear is marked by longing or sadness . . . but always by a spirit of deep, abiding tenderness.

Local Heroes Honored at the Opening Gala Concert The Local Heroes project aims to challenge the standard definition of a hero and commend individuals that are at the core of our community. These selfless individuals donate their time and energy out of genuine concern for the present and future solidarity of their communities. Nominated by Festival participants and organizers, a hero may be a parent, teacher, friend, neighbor, or community leader-anyone who inspires and nurtures future generations, promotes understanding and tolerance, preserves our environment, builds community, and otherwise finds ways to improve the lives and surroundings of people in Los Angeles. Supported in part by the Vesper Society.

Opening Donor Reception hosted by
His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami
Ismaili Council for the Western United States