The Inbal Center for Multidisciplinary Ethnic Culture is presenting performances to highlight the interplay of the East and West within Israeli culture.
By JJ LEVINE
The Inbal Center for Multidisciplinary Ethnic Culture will be presenting two performances this week to highlight the interplay of the East and West within Israeli culture. The Jewish-Arab Youth Orchestra, numbering 25 players on a variety of Eastern and Western instruments, will present a program featuring both classical Arabic music and pieces which straddle the interface between East and West - Wednesday, 8 p.m., Suzanne Dellal Center, Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv. The following night, at 9 p.m., Yaron Pe'er (pictured) will be performing works there from his recent world-music album, Orion. Recorded in a studio in Sinai, its music is influenced by Middle Eastern and Indian rhythms, with texts from Jewish sources such as Psalms and the Song of Songs. Pe'er, who composed the music, also plays instruments from a wide variety of cultures, including guitar and saxophone, the Balkan bouzouki, and the Indian sarangi and swarmandel. Pe'er says his aim is to highlight the common search for spirituality across a broad range of cultures, and his album included participation from musicians from Egypt, Sudan, India and elsewhere. The performance will feature Pe'er with two other musicians on various ethnic instruments, and Zohar Cohanov performing classical Indian dance. Tickets for both of the performances can be purchased through the Suzanne Dellal Center, (03) 517-3711. Tickets cost NIS 70 for each performance, or NIS 110 for a combination ticket.