Iraq National Symphony Orchestra


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Posted by Doug on November 15, 2003 at 00:55:35:

REUTERS:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - They persevered through wars and dictatorship, the looting and burning of concert halls. Now the musicians of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra are trying recapture a bit of normal life, settling into a new home and practicing for a concert in the United States.

The 63-member orchestra met Friday with U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer, who welcomed the musicians to their new practice space at the Baghdad Convention Center. The building is inside Baghdad's ``Green Zone,'' an area guarded by U.S. troops and surrounded by concrete walls, rolls of razor wire and sandbag bunkers.

As they practiced Grieg's ``Morning Mood'' from ``Peer Gynt'' Suites Nos. 1 and 2, the performers said they hoped for better days.

``Freedom has come; I can now speak openly what's on my mind,'' said oboe player, Taleen Shehranian, 23. ``But other things are not so good. We need more security. I hope that day will come, too.''

The orchestra is preparing for a Dec. 9 concert in Washington with the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra.

``All across Iraq, people are working hard to return the country to normal,'' Bremer told the musicians. ``You play a very important role in that message, showing that ... none of us will be intimidated by the terrorists and former regime members.''

In June, the symphony orchestra gave its first concert since Saddam's ouster, playing patriotic songs that predated the former dictator.

Before the war, the orchestra played at the National Theater - looted and partially destroyed by fires during the fighting - or at the Rasheed Concert Hall, which was bombed.

Since then they have practiced in a stuffy downtown building with no electricity.

To get to their new practice site at the convention center, they have to wait in long lines and be searched for weapons - a frustrating daily routine.

``This is our hall, our home, not the Americans','' said Hisham Sharaf, the orchestra director.

Two months ago, Bremer appealed to music organizations across the world to assist the Baghdad orchestra, a call taken up by U.S.-based Major Orchestra Librarians' Association and individual donors. The contributors sent hundreds of pages of music for the Baghdad performers.

``That drive has surpassed all our hopes,'' Bremer said. ``Every one of the most-wanted works was acquired.''

``Iraq will have a chance for a good life, a life also of art and music,'' he said.

Two donors, Allegra Klein of New York, and Wafaa al-Natheema, who leads the Institute for Near East and African Studies in Cambridge, Mass., brought spare parts for instruments and child-sized instruments for a music school in Baghdad.

``I just wanted to help them, musicians like myself,'' Klein said.


Anyone know about the tuba player? Do they have a tuba player?

Doug "curious" G



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