Proctors Collaborative to Present Music Haven With 2025-26 Passport Series
The season opens with Tarwa N-Tiniri, a desert blues band from Morocco, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 at Universal Preservation Hall.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 29, 2025
Five countries. Five electrifying nights. Proctors Collaborative will welcome Music Haven back for another year with the 2025-26 Passport Series. The series brings world-class music from five continents to stages in Schenectady and Saratoga Springs. Single tickets and full season passes are on sale now. This immersive cultural journey transports audiences to Morocco, Québec, Sweden, the Middle East, and Colombia - without leaving the Capital Region.
The season opens with Tarwa N-Tiniri, a desert blues band from Morocco, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 at Universal Preservation Hall. Known for blending traditional Amazigh melodies with hypnotic guitar riffs and contemporary rhythms, their music channels the spirit of the Sahara while speaking to themes of heritage, migration, and unity. A vibrant tapestry of culture, tradition, and heartfelt expression.
Mélisande, hailing from Québec, reimagines French-Canadian folk for modern ears 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Proctors. With roots in traditional fiddle tunes and call-and-response songs, the group infuses vibrant arrangements, dynamic vocals, and a dance-driving groove that bridges past and present. Celebrating the tenth anniversary of their électrotrad project, Mélisande revisits songs from their repertoire with a traditional Québécois sound, surrounded by four seasoned acoustic musicians.
Sweden's internationally celebrated Väsen duo – Olov Johansson and Mikael Marin – will bring their intricate interplay of nyckelharpa and viola to the series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Universal Preservation Hall. After 37 years of musical collaboration and touring, they have created a richly textured sound that is as rooted in centuries-old Swedish traditions as it is strikingly fresh.
Led by oud player and composer Josh Kaye, the New York-based ensemble Baklava Express crafts energetic and improvisation-driven performances that draw from Arabic, Turkish, and Greek traditions with contemporary flair. They will be at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13. The eclectic influences and vast differences in the musical backgrounds of its members have created a group whose style is distinct, yet genre-crossing.
Closing the series is Yeison Landero, a Colombian singer, accordionist, and grandson of the legendary Andrés Landero, known as the “King of Cumbia.” With infectious rhythms and heartfelt vocals, Yeison carries on as heir to his family's musical legacy, turning every show into a joyful, irresistible dance party. The show will be at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14.
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