The U.S. Embassy in Cairo, in collaboration with the Center Stage Program, has announced the American debut of Mohamed Abozekry & Karkadé. The band will perform across seven cities in the northeastern United States from September 7-28, 2018. Their tour will include a significant public performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and a concert at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Mohamed Abozekry is recognized as a virtuoso oud prodigy. Together with his band Karkadé, he blends Egypt’s popular and classical music traditions with Sufi calls and secular poetry to create a new instrumental project. The ensemble aims to bring to U.S. audiences a sound that revisits Egyptian music from its 'golden age' between the 1920s and 1950s.
Since its inception in 2012, the Center Stage arts exchange program has been supported by the U.S. Department of State. It seeks to introduce important new voices into cultural discussions within the United States while sharing diverse global perspectives directly with local communities. Now entering its fourth season, Center Stage invites international musicians for tours hosted by various institutions including colleges, universities, festivals, music clubs, and cultural centers across America.
Center Stage is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts along with U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. It receives support from entities such as the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and Trust for Mutual Understanding, under general management by Lisa Booth Management Inc.
For more information on this cultural partnership between Egypt and the United States or to follow updates about Mohamed Abozekry & Karkadé's tour, visit www.centerstageUS.org or connect through social media channels provided by @USEmbassyCairo.