INTRODUCING:  CARAVANSERAI

Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet is a groundbreaking artistic and cultural exchange program meant to showcase the diversity of contemporary Islamic societies through their art and enhance mutual understanding between our cultures.

Following significant critical acclaim and audience enthusiasm for its debut tour, Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet will return to four U.S. cities. The Arts Center in Jamestown, North Dakota has been selected as one of the four host cities. Other cities on the tour are Fayetteville, Arkansas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

We have the privilege of sharing the music, film, and photography of world-renowned Moroccan artists with you—in NORTH DAKOTA. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience you do not want to miss!  We are proud to be one of the cities chosen to bring this innovative program to our community. We hope you can join us for as many of the events as you can.

The third group of Moroccan artists to visit Jamestown are:

The Orchestra of Fes with Francoise Atlan

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THE ORCHESTRA OF FES
The spring 2013 Caravanserai music residency tour will feature masters of classical Judeo-Arabic music from the Andalusian tradition, the Orchestra of Fes directed by the legendary Mohammed Briouel.

Andalusian classical music is at the core of contemporary Moroccan culture and evolved over centuries of cultural exchange between North Africa, Spain, Portugal, and southern European Muslim traditions. The vibrant, spiritual chamber melodies of the Orchestra of Fes will take audiences on a sonic tour to the heart of Morocco’s rich musical heritage.

FRANCOISE ATLAN
In a special collaboration, acclaimed Jewish songstress Françoise Atlan joins the Orchestra of Fes for the spring 2013 Caravanserai music residency tours. Based in Marakesh, Morocco, Francoise Atlan is considered one of the world’s finest vocal interpreters of Sephardic music. After studying piano and chamber music at some of the world’s finest musical conservatories in Saint-Etienne and Aix-en-Provence, France, Francoise Atlan refined her naturally lyrical singing voice under the tutelage of Andréa Guiot at the Paris Opera School.

Learn more about these artists:
www.caravanserai-arts.org/artist-profile

For updates, sounds & sites from the tour, and great Moroccan recipes follow the blog:
www.caravanserai-arts.org/blog

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Previously Appeared, November 2012

The second Moroccan artist to visit Jamestown was, award-winning filmmaker, Hakim Belabbes.

HAKIM BELABBES

Caravanserai’s 2012-13 film residency tour featured two short films by award-winning Moroccan-American filmmaker Hakim Belabbes. Hailing from the small town of Boujad in central Morocco, Hakim Belabbes graduated from Mohamed V University in Rabat with a degree in literature. Belabbes obtained a graduate degree in Film and Video from Columbia College in Chicago where he now teaches film direction and production.

You can learn more about Hakim Bellabas by visiting the  artist profiles.

Previously Appeared, October 2012

Majid Bekkas Gnawa Ensemble and Brahim Fribgane kicked off the 2012-2013 season. The soulful gnawa music and dance are ancient Moroccan traditions and an ancestor of the American blues. Their tour concluded with an incredible performance Thursday, October 11 at 7:30 pm at the Jamestown High School Auditorium.

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Additional support provided locally through grants from the North Dakota Council on the Arts and the Buffalo City Tourism Foundation.

Caravanserai is led by Arts Midwest, the non-profit regional arts organization serving America’s upper mid-west on behalf of the nation’s six Regional Arts Organizations. This program is funded by a one million dollar grant from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art (DDFIA) Building Bridges program. Additional support for the program is provided through an International Engagement Grant from the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.