University of York Music Press

Sadie has recently returned from a successful tour of the project in the USA (supported by an Arts Council International Development Fund Grant and the Ambache Charitable Trust) with 22 events taking place in Connecticut and Massachusetts, including performances and workshops, a lecture at the University of Connecticut, a radio interview and a television broadcast of the premiere of Gulistan-e Nur for string sextet and youth ensemble.

PROJECT DETAILS

Gulistan-e Nur: The Rosegarden of Light Project consists of three elements: public concert performances, workshops and video presentations.

Concert performances (including the UK premiere in Swanage) of Gulistan-e Nur: The Rosegarden of Light, a 30 minute newly-commissioned work by Sadie Harrison for professional string sextet and amateur/youth ensemble. The concert will also include contemporary works by living composers from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.

Workshops will teach local amateur musicians/students the Interludes which forms part ofGulistan-e Nur: The Rosegarden of Light, integrating them into the public performances alongside Cuatro Puntos.

Video presentations within the concerts, and during workshops, will inform audiences about current music-making and contemporary composition in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, focusing on performances of Gulistan-e Nur: The Rosegarden of Light Interludes by the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) Girl's ensemble, recorded by Cuatro Puntos members in Kabul, August 2015.

CONCERT PROGRAMME

Mohammed Othman Sidiq (Iraq) - Nai Concertino for solo violinist and string quartet 
Kareen Roustom (Syria) -  Letters Home for violin and cello 
Reza Vali (Iran) - Calligraphies for string quartet 
Anon. Arr. Kevin Bishop - Pesta Farosh: Traditional Afghan Song for string sextet
Ustad Shefta (Afghanistan) - Proud Woman for string sextet
Sadie Harrison (UK) - Gulistan-e Nur: The Rosegarden of Light (2015)

DATES & VENUES

The Rosegarden of Light Project UK Tour will take place between 28 May - 6 June 2016 at the following venues:

Saturday 28 May 2016: Purbeck Arts Weeks Festival, Swanage UK Premiere & CD Launch
Sunday 29 May 2016: Friends Meeting House, Brighton Fringe Festival
Monday 30 May 2016: Goldsmiths College, London
Thursday 2 June 2016: St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury 
Friday 3 June 2016: Late Music Concert Series York (workshops)
Saturday 4 June 2016: Late Music Concert Series York (performances)
Monday 6 June 2016: Institute of Cultural Diplomacy (Berlin)