Experience The Atmosphere Of Christmas In The Arab World At St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square

Across the Arab World, Orthodox Christians and Egyptian Coptics celebrate Christmas on January 7. Arab Christmas, at St Martin-in-the-Field offers a line up of internationally renowned singers and musicians performing Syriac, Coptic and Byzantine chants, harking back to the time of Queen Zanubia's Palmyra in the second century CE.

Compere for the evening is the internationally acclaimed singer, musician and broadcaster Reem Kelanim, recognised as one of the most enthralling and innovative performers of Palestinian and Arabic music. Reem will highlight the links between these Christian chants, rich with quarter tones and virtuosic ornamentation, and other religious traditions.

The line-up for the evening includes:

Mirna Kassis, the Syrian mezzo soprano was introduced to Byzantine music at an early age igniting her interest in combining elements of Classical European and Middle Eastern styles. Her performances of traditional Arabic music include touring with Damon Albarn in 2016 as well performing at cultural festivals from Berlin Culture Festival, Fas Festival Morocco and The National Festival Dubai to Petra Rocks in Jordan. Her career as a classical singer include ensemble chamber music performances as well as solo roles in Mozart's Requiem (alto voice); Stabat Maters by Pergolesi, Dvorak, and Vivaldi; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Mahler's Kindertotenlieder.

Half-Coptic Egyptian, half-German singer and composer, Merit Ariane Stephanos draws on Arabic classical and Western contemporary influences in her music. Her music illuminates the earliest roots of Christianity and celebrates the diverse musical traditions of the ancient Middle East.

The senior Melkite Greek Catholic priest in Britain, Shafiq Abouzayd, has been a priest at the Maronite Church since 1987. Of joint Lebanese and British nationality, Rev Dr Abouzayd studied Aramaic-Syriac and Arabic at the monastery of the Lebanese Maronite Missionaries in Jounieh and is currently the director for the Aram Centre for Syro Mesopotamian Studies at Oxford University.

A performer with an international profile, specialising in early and Oriental string instruments, accordionist Jon Banks has toured, broadcast and recorded with groups including The Dufay Collective, The Burning Bush, Joglaresa, the Jocelyn Pook Ensemble and percussionist Fariborz Kiani on a tour of Uzbekistan. Jon is a regular performer and musical director at The Globe Theatre and recent recording sessions include 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and Simon Armitage's 'Eurydice and Orpheus'. He lectures on Middle Eastern music at Anglia Ruskin University.

Nizar Rohana is an internationally renowned Palestinian ud player based in the Netherlands distinguished for combining virtuosity within fresh contemporary compositions, while maintaining the ud's authentic language. As a performer, Rohana's wide stage experience as a soloist and within groups encompasses playing traditional, modern, experimental and world music. Over the last fifteen years, he has performed in Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey and across the USA and Europe, releasing his first album 'Sard' (Narration) in May 2008.

Booking: www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org

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