Orchestra of New Spain Presents its Annual Convivencia Concert
May 1st at Zion Lutheran Church
The Orchestra of New Spain (ONS) will present the fourth in a series of concerts designed to explore the musical culture of Spain’s Medieval world of Al Andalus,
La Convivencia IV, a concert of Sephardic, Christian and Muslim music at Zion Lutheran Church, 6121 East Lovers Lane at Skillman, Dallas 25214. Tickets are $25 and $10 (with student ID) available through www.Ticketdfw.com or by calling 214-871-5000.
The Orchestra of New Spain continues its series exploring the music and culture of Medieval Spain under the Islamic Caliphate that allowed Jews and Christians to work, worship and live in relative peace, a time known as La Convivencia (living together). New Spain soloists perform works from King Alfonso the Wise’ extensive collection of 420 songs set to poems retelling the miracles of Mary as collected by the King’s minions, and known under the title of “Las Cantigas de Santa Maria”. Guest vocalist Jenny Luna interprets Sephardic songs from Spain and the Ottoman regions of the Diaspora, while Jamal Mohamed and his world music band perform works ranging from al-Andalus to North Africa and the Middle East. Instruments evocative of the time include the santour, lute, viols, and the doumbek drum. The historic Convivencia will be echoed on stage with a final artistic weaving together of music of the 3 cultures!
“It’s a timely look at the medieval example of culturally different peoples living together with respect and tolerance,” said Artistic Director, Grover Wilkins 3rd. “It’s also our first collaboration with other artists during Covid, made possible by progress with vaccinations and greater confidence in safely working together”. The concert venue, the large sanctuary of Zion Lutheran Church, continues to respect protocols of masking, seating in alternate pews, and sanitizing.
ABOUT THE ORCHESTRA OF NEW SPAIN
The Orchestra of New Spain is a 36-member orchestra and chorus created in the Dallas Arts District in 1989 and dedicated to exploration of the music of the Spanish and New World baroque. The Orchestra’s eight-concert season, annual outreach concerts, annual Dallas ISD Strings’ Camp and national & international touring programs are a unique contribution to the Dallas Arts community.
The mission of the Orchestra of New Spain is to introduce into concert the neglected repertory of the Spanish 17th and 18th centuries and to explore the
Hispanic heritage of which it is a part, educating the public on the importance of the repertory and its broader cultural implications. Additionally, the Orchestra performs other renaissance, baroque, classical and romantic repertories on period instruments as well as alternative repertory, from other periods and provenances.
For additional information on Orchestra of the New Spain, please log on to www.orchestraofnewspain.org
