EPISODE #1
Arabic Music: Maryem Tollar of Al Qahwa Ensemble (Interviewer Rea Beaumont)
In this interview with Rea Beaumont, renowned vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Maryem Tollar of the Al Qahwa Ensemble discusses her active career in world music, collaborations with a diverse range of leading ensembles, including Tafelmusik, and how being an Egyptian-Canadian performer has impacted her life and work. www.alqahwa.com
BLOG POST: Interviewing Maryem Tollar
Maryem Tollar is a renowned vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (riqq, qanun) who has performed with a wide range of leading ensembles, most recently as a featured artist in Tafelmusik's multi-media productions Tale of Two Cities and Safe Haven. She is a core member of the Al Qahwa Ensemble [Arabic 'coffee house’] that includes Ernie Tollar (winds), Demetri Petsalakis (oud), and Naghmeh Fahrahmand (percussion).
I had the pleasure of interviewing her for the inaugural episode of my podcast series Canada’s Musical Mosaic. She shed light on the nuances of Arabic Music, world music, the multitude of artists she has collaborated with, including world-class ensembles such as Tafelmusik. She also shared her personal story of what it means to be an Egyptian-Canadian musician living in Toronto. This a very special episode and I will continue to update with more information after her new album is released. - Rea
Maryem's official bio is available at: www.alqahwa.ca
Al Qahwa Ensemble - NEWS
November 6, 2020: New album “African Roots” will be released, adding to their discography of "Cairo Moon" and "Coffee House. “
September 16, 2020: Performance at TD Sunfest's Global Music Festival, London, Ontario, 8pm to 9pm EST. Watch live on Facebook and YouTube.
© 2020 Rea Beaumont
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