Concert Description
Join us as the Maqamat International Academy of Arts and Heritage presents Iraqi traditional Maqam, featuring music and songs from the south, the middle, and the north of Iraq. Iraqi Maqam is a genre of traditional Classical Arabic music that dates back to the Abbasid era (750–1258 CE). The instruments in this ensemble include oud, joze, ney, santur, qanun, table, daf and riq.
All noon hour concerts are free of charge, and take place in the Conrad Grebel University College Chapel. Paid parking is available on site, and the University is accessible by GRT bus #12 or the ION light rail.
Anwar Abudragh
An Iraqi composer, vocalist, joza and Oud player. Anwar is also the founder and the director of the Maqamat International Academy of Arts and Heritage. Anwar studied at the Institute of Music Studies in Baghdad and the Fine Arts College of the University of Baghdad and at Louvain la Neuve in Belgium. He released eight albums featuring his interpretation of the Iraqi maqam, his original compositions and collaborations with other world musicians.
Khazaal Alkhazal
Born in 1969, Khazaal is an Iraqi-Canadian visual artist and musician. He plays santur, keyboard, oud, and eastern drums. He holds a BA in Visual Arts and BA in Communications Engineering from Iraq. He began playing percussion at the age of 7, keyboard and the oud at the age of 16, and santur 5 years ago. He is currently a santur player in the Baghdadi Chalghi ensemble, established by Maqamat Orchestra in Mississauga.
Moneer Alward
Iraqi-Canadian Nay and Riq player. I began playing Arabic flute (Nay) early stage of my life, participating as an emerging musician in a small community ensemble. I am currently a percussionist and Nay player in the Baghdadi Chalghi ensemble, established by the Maqamat Orchestra in Mississauga.
James Freeman
Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, James Freeman began playing trumpet and drums at an early age participating in concert, jazz, marching and occasional rock bands. After completing a Bachelor and Master of Music degree at Montreal’s McGill University, he embarked on a performing and teaching career. On trumpet, James has performed with ensembles including the Toronto Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, I Musici de Montreal, Washington Bach Consort, Montreal Baroque Orchestra and was a member of the orchestra accompanying the Ontario segment of Diana Krall’s Quiet Nights tour. After finding a deep love of Arabic classical music James began studies with percussion masters Michel Merhej Baklouk and Suleiman Warwar, leading to working with the Arabesque Dance Company, New York Arabic Orchestra, Canadian Arabic Orchestra, and the Hikaya Project with vocalist Murshed Khalid.
Madiana Torosyan
Born in 1993 in Baghdad, Iraq her love for music commenced in elementary school by playing qanun. In 2007, after immigrating to Canada, Madiana continued her lessons with George Arut, and her passion for music brought forth her interest in other instruments such as piano, violin, guitar, and harp. Madiana demonstrates her talents in Armenian, and Middle-Eastern and also in various cultural concerts and other musical performances. She graduated from York University majoring in Bachelor of fine arts in Music. Today Madiana is teaching Qanun at the Maqamat International Academy of Arts & Heritage.
Noon Hour Concerts are sponsored by
