MUSIC

The Jewish Community Center of Houston in collaboration with Congregation Brith Shalom and the Foundation for Jewish Culture present a unique multimedia performance, Monajat (Fervent Prayer), by composer, singer, and scholar Galeet Dardashti. Dardashti’s Houston concert, part of a six-city tour, will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Brith Shalom, 4610 Bellaire Blvd.

Monajat is inspired by Selihot, the poetic prayers of forgiveness recited during the month preceding the Jewish High Holidays according to Middle Eastern tradition. This period of deep reflection and spiritual preparation serves as a backdrop for Dardashti’s time-specific concert and program. Dardashti, a performer and anthropologist of Iranian descent, re-imagines the Selihot ritual in collaboration with an acclaimed ensemble of musicians, an electronic soundscape featuring recordings of her grandfather (a renowned singer of Persian classical music), and dynamic video projections by video artist and designer Dmitry Kmelnitsky. Galeet Dardashti’s Monajat explores a personal history, and, more broadly, Jewish culture in the Islamic world.

In addition to her Sunday night concert, Dardashti will offer a free workshop at Rothko Chapel on Saturday, September 17 at 11:00 a.m.

This program was made possible, in part, from funding by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, United Airlines, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and the Mid-America Arts Alliance. Support also comes from the New Jewish Culture Network, the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, the Milken Family Foundation and individual donors.