Lute Legends – Borderlands: Music on the Edge

This transfixing musical journey is anchored by a triangle of distinct traditions: the evocative depiction of nature in ancient China, the multilayered ornamentation of the European Renaissance, and the improvisatory brilliance of Arabic maqam.  Yet the performance explores the uncharted geographical and stylistic spaces between the points of that triangle. Through diverse repertoire such as haunting Uyghur folk tunes from Xinjiang, polyphonic songs from the Iberian peninsula, and classical forms from the Ottoman court, we experience moments when these three musical traditions reached out to engage with one another.  Guided by three plucked-string specialists joined in collaboration by mutual curiosity and friendship, listeners will hear musical dialogues that can only take place in real or imagined "borderlands" where cultural boundaries blur and creativity knows no bounds.

Artists

Lucas Harris, lute and co-director; Wen Zhao, pipa and co-director; Ronnie Malley; oud.

The Lute Legends Collective, an association of specialists in ancient plucked-string traditions from diverse cultures, is thrilled to return to St. Thomas’s this November! Each member of the collective is a committed carrier of an ancient musical tradition, whether it be the virtuosic modal improvisation of the Middle East, the intricate polyphony of the European Renaissance and Baroque, or the picturesque musical depiction of nature from China.  Though instruments such as the oud, lute, & pipa each have evolved a distinct set of techniques and sounds, the recognition that our beloved instruments are “long-lost cousins” invites us into a new kind of musical conversation based on mutual curiosity and friendship.  The Lute Legends Collective is our way of reuniting our instruments in a cross-traditional musical experiment for the twenty-first century.

www.lutelegends.com

Accessibility

St. Thomas's is not (yet) an accessible venue unfortunately. If you have accessibility needs, please email in advance: [email protected].

Ticketing Information

Since this is a pay-what-you-wish event (suggested: $40 regular; $20 students), the Eventbrite order form is set to Donation rather that Ticket. (Otherwise there would be a set ticket price.) Unfortunately, within the Donation option, there is no way to indicate a number of people attending. If ordering/donating on behalf of more than one person, simply enter the amount of the donation (pay what you wish) and then email [email protected] to let us know how many are in your party and their names. Please note that we do not provide tax receipts despite the "Donation" nomenclature in Eventbrite.

Location

The historic St. Thomas's Anglican Church is one block south of Bloor and one block west of St. George TTC station, at 383 Huron Street. www.stthomas.on.ca.

There is no parking lot at the church.

Host or Publisher Saint Thomas's Anglican Church