Abromson Community Education Center
88 Bedford St, Portland, ME 04101
USA
From the Islamic Golden Era through the African maghreb, leading up to 16th century Andalusian Spain and touching upon Sephardic culture, harpist Bridget Kibbey uses her instrument as a musical passport to explore migration stories across four genres of music, three continents and four centuries — tracing the movement of instruments, rhythm and modes across the globe during one of the largest fights for global domination. Called the “Yo-Yo Ma of the harp,” by Vogue magazine, Kibbey’s innovative and virtuosic performances expand the expressive range of the harp, emphasizing and elevating it’s role across centuries and cultures of music. With newly-commissioned works performed alongside the folk music that inspired them, “From Persia to Iberia” features collaborators Persian singer Mahsa Vahdat and percussionist John Hadfield, a leader in the jazz world, and also known from his time with Silkroad.