Event Description

Artistic Director, Vocals: Erini, Oud: Ara Dinkjian

International vocalist, Erini, accompanied by oud master, Ara Dinkjian, present an intimate duo concert of Asia Minor standards, dedicated to commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Smyrna Catastrophe and the Population Exchange. Erini’s vision for this concert is to pay tribute to her great-grandparents' legacy who were refugees from Smyrna whilst shedding a light on the richness of the Asia Minor musical heritage.

The concert is a musical narrative of the Hellenic presence in Asia Minor and tells the story of the Smyrna Catastrophe through the power of the Anatolian-Greek song tradition. The joyful existence of the Greeks in Anatolia prior to the Catastrophe is exalted by love songs such as “Menexedes kai Zoumpoulia'' and “Apo xeno topo". Depicting the tragic Catastrophe itself and reflecting the despair of the refugees is the song “Giati Pouli M’ Den Kelaidis'' which epitomises the powerlessness of the refugees who have lost their homes, livelihood, and relatives. Characteristic of the Population Exchange when the Anatolian-Greeks tried to acclimatize to Greece but were faced with alienation, discrimination, and trauma is the song “Ti Se Mellei Esenane''. A highlight of the concert is Erini’s performance of “Smyrneiko Minore'', one of the first Greek songs ever recorded in the United States by the iconic Marika Papagika, marking the beginning of the strong and long-standing presence of Hellenism in this country. Erini hopes that by performing this music and introducing the story of these refugees on a global scale, she will preserve this unique cultural heritage for future generations.

Free and Open to the Public 

Program

Registration for all attendees is required either at the door or in advance, online.

Parking: Lots 10 and 13 on William Street

Attendees: Please consult the attached map due to the closure of Washington Road, is needed as well.

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ARA DINKJIAN, an Armenian born in America in 1958, graduated from the Hartt College of Music in 1980, earning the country’s first and only special degree in the instrument for which he has become most well-known--the oud. Dinkjian’s groundbreaking and highly influential group NIGHT ARK was among the first world-music fusion ensembles. Dinkjian’s compositions have been recorded throughout the world by acclaimed musicians and singers in 16 different languages. His composition “Homecoming” (“Dinata, Dinata”) was performed at the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympics. He has given concerts in 24 countries, and has recorded twelve CDs of his original music, including three with his current group, THE SECRET TRIO.

Erini

Heard by over 1 million people during her 3-year tour with Cirque Du Soleil, Erini’s voice is characterized by entrancing ornaments from the Greek tradition and inspired by far-ranging influences. Growing up in a musical family on the island of Crete, Greece, Erini’s mother, a descendant of Greek-Anatolian refugees, introduced her to the Greek - Anatolian musical tradition which ignited Erini’s passion for singing. Completing a Master at Berklee paved new paths of experimentation for Erini as she redefined the constraints of genre and birthed a new sound combining Greek traditional music with contrasting genres such as, jazz, pop and classical music. Erini’s first single “Korasion Etragoudage '', is a Greek traditional song from Anatolia in a contemporary cello and voice arrangement that went viral and gained over 1.3 million combined views on Facebook. Erini has had the opportunity to showcase her musical heritage at Carnegie Hall and to collaborate with artists such as Danilo Perez and Daniel Hope. Erini has been awarded the Greek America Foundation’s 40 under 40 Award and the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Traditional Arts Fellowship.

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Event Co-Sponsor(s)
Near Eastern Studies
Department of Music
Humanities Council

Event Details

Date
May 5, 2023, 7:00 pm9:00 pm
Events Venue
Frist Campus Center - Theater 301