Music & Arts, Pages 48-49

MESTO Performs in Dearborn and L.A.

SINCE DR. NABIL Azzam founded the Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra (MESTO) in 2000, he’s created a musical intifada combining the concept of a Western-style classical orchestra with a permanent section of ethnic instruments performing a repertoire representing many cultures.

“Change is good,” says Maestro Azzam. “Where and what would music be today were it not for the changes Mozart, Beethoven and Muhammad ”˜Abd al-Wahhab and many others made?”

It was this vision of change that captivated MESTO audiences Oct. 17 in the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI, and Oct. 25 in Los Angeles’ Zipper Concert Hall.

In Los Angeles, the 40-piece MESTO orchestra premiered ”˜Abd al-Wahhab’s final composition, “As’aluka al-Raheel,” an original arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” with the oud, mandolin and qanun, the stirring “Malaguena,” and culminating in the popular Italian “Carnival of Venice” featuring qanun virtuoso Lilit Khojayan.

Charlie Gould was featured on the bassoon in “Lamma Bada,” which evoked memories of musical scores in films with Middle Eastern themes, and the Rahbani Brothers’ “Ayyam es-Sayfiyyeh.”

The first MESTO Composer’s Award was presented to arranger and composer Shelly Cohen, who has contributed his talents to MESTO since its inception.

For the second year, Karima Skalli traveled from Morocco to sing with MESTO such favorites as Fairouz’ “Tayr al-Wirwaar,” “Nassam ”˜Alayna,” “Zuruni” and Farid Atrache’s “Ya Zahratan.”

In the year 2010, MESTO hopes to offer its unique arrangements on the works of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.

—Pat McDonnell Twair