The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians
Since their 2009 collaboration & world tour with Gorillaz, the catastrophic Syrian conflict has forced a huge number of this wonderful orchestra to leave the country. In 2016, Africa Express reunited musicians from the country’s finest orchestras, and ‘The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians’ was formed to tour the UK and EU with a series of high profile guests.
This critically acclaimed live tour celebrated the power and joy of Syrian music through a series of sold-out concerts including the Holland Festival, Roskilde, Istanbul, Glastonbury Festival’s legendary pyramid stage and London’s Royal Festival Hall, which – through a partnership with Youtube – live-streamed the concert into Syrian communities across the globe. The concerts were recorded and made into a live album, available on all DSPs here: Transgressive Records, and on CD and vinyl here: Africa Express, Since this tour, many orchestra members have resettled in the UK, EU and around the world.
The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians works to regularly unite these orchestra members and keep the beauty of Syrian culture alive within their new communities. Shows and collaborations since 2016 include the Cambridge Folk Festival, WOMAD Festival, Bozar, Trafalgar Square with the Mayor of London, and a collaboration with the Liverpool Philharmonic that gave us an alternative take on the origins of St Georges Day.
Event tickets
Featured live events
Music Halls Presents: Orchestra of Syrian Musicians
The Sanctuary
Thu 30 June 2022 07 PM – 10 PM (Doors: 07 PM)
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Music halls presents: Tots Tunes On Tour (full band show)
The Sanctuary
Sat 23 July 2022 03 PM – 04 PM (Doors: 03 PM)
Tots Tunes on Tour – full band show
Come and join cellist/singer Tara Franks and full band to celebrate 10 years of Tots Tunes (an East London family favourite class!) at this interactive family concert – with songs from the Tots Tunes repertoire – from original tunes to uplifting global folk numbers.
(Suitable for adults and their families; from babies, toddlers up to 7yrs)
About the gig:
To celebrate the launch of the 2nd album 'Moonshine and Butterflies' and 10 years of Tots Tunes, Tara will be joined by a band of top class musicians from the London folk/jazz scene to perform this special one-off family concert. The band will feature; Bernhard Shimplesbelrger (percussion), Preetha Narayanan (violin/voice), Francesca Ter-berg (cello/voice) and Flora Curzon (Violin/voice), bringing an exciting expanded version of the repertoire of world, folk and new music to an audience of music lovers big & small!
Expect to listen, dance and sing along!
More about Tots Tunes:
Founded at Vortex Jazz Club, London back in 2011, Tots Tunes is the brainchild of cellist, composer & creative leader Tara Franks. In the form of interactive parent & baby classes – with part songs from around the world, original tunes and a few dance moves – Tots Tunes (the flagship project of Tara’s community enterprise SoundsCreative Projects) was set up for parents who want to connect with other like-minded people in the neighbourhood, listen to, learn and sing some quality ‘non-baby’ acoustic music all accompanied by cello & percussion.
Celebrating 10 years of bringing joy to many East London families and beyond; collaborations with Nest Collective, National Trust, The Green House, Dartington Arts along with clothing brands Little House of Vild and Mama Owl, award winning Tots Tunes has featured at the London Jazz Festival, on BBC6 Music, gained commissions with Johnson & Johnson, released one much lauded album ‘Shake, Stomp & Sing’ and welcomed a footfall of over 15,000 parents + littles.
With Arts Council England support, Tara has now created a full band interactive Tots Tunes show – Tots Tunes on Tour – to tour alongside the newly released 2nd Album ‘Moonshine and Butterflies’ .
Listen:
https://totstunes.bandcamp.com/…/moonshine-and-butterflies
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEm-6U86WU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DEWt1fqn4g
Ticket prices:
Family ticket 1 – 1 adult + little (under 5) – £10
Family ticket 2 – 2 adults + little (under 5) – £18
Family ticket 3 – 2 adults and 2 littles (under 5s) – £20
Buy tickets
Come and join cellist/singer Tara Franks and full band to celebrate 10 years of Tots Tunes (an East London family favourite class!) at this interactive family concert – with songs from the Tots Tunes repertoire – from original tunes to uplifting global folk numbers.
(Suitable for adults and their families; from babies, toddlers up to 7yrs)
About the gig:
To celebrate the launch of the 2nd album 'Moonshine and Butterflies' and 10 years of Tots Tunes, Tara will be joined by a band of top class musicians from the London folk/jazz scene to perform this special one-off family concert. The band will feature; Bernhard Shimplesbelrger (percussion), Preetha Narayanan (violin/voice), Francesca Ter-berg (cello/voice) and Flora Curzon (Violin/voice), bringing an exciting expanded version of the repertoire of world, folk and new music to an audience of music lovers big & small!
Expect to listen, dance and sing along!
More about Tots Tunes:
Founded at Vortex Jazz Club, London back in 2011, Tots Tunes is the brainchild of cellist, composer & creative leader Tara Franks. In the form of interactive parent & baby classes – with part songs from around the world, original tunes and a few dance moves – Tots Tunes (the flagship project of Tara’s community enterprise SoundsCreative Projects) was set up for parents who want to connect with other like-minded people in the neighbourhood, listen to, learn and sing some quality ‘non-baby’ acoustic music all accompanied by cello & percussion.
Celebrating 10 years of bringing joy to many East London families and beyond; collaborations with Nest Collective, National Trust, The Green House, Dartington Arts along with clothing brands Little House of Vild and Mama Owl, award winning Tots Tunes has featured at the London Jazz Festival, on BBC6 Music, gained commissions with Johnson & Johnson, released one much lauded album ‘Shake, Stomp & Sing’ and welcomed a footfall of over 15,000 parents + littles.
With Arts Council England support, Tara has now created a full band interactive Tots Tunes show – Tots Tunes on Tour – to tour alongside the newly released 2nd Album ‘Moonshine and Butterflies’ .
Listen:
https://totstunes.bandcamp.com/…/moonshine-and-butterflies
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEm-6U86WU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DEWt1fqn4g
Ticket prices:
Family ticket 1 – 1 adult + little (under 5) – £10
Family ticket 2 – 2 adults + little (under 5) – £18
Family ticket 3 – 2 adults and 2 littles (under 5s) – £20
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