schedule

 

2024 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Jan. 20: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Don Mills Retirement Residence with dancer Asli Rakkas who performed the candelabra dance and the tanner dance

Feb. 16, 23: Workshop on Middle Eastern Dance and Music for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Apr. 14: Book launch for the Arab Canadian Book Fair, Mississauga, ON; read passages from my English translation of al-Tīfāshī’s “The Ears Pleasure and the Science of Listening to Music”

Jun. 14-27: Podcast with Joana Saahirah: “Andalusian dance and props in Andalusia and North Africa in the 13th. century.”

Aug. 8: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for Sol Smith Fundraiser, Kensington Market. Performed a number of dances for 5 dancers.

Aug. 11 and Sep. 1: Zoom lectures with Joana Saahirah: “Andalusian dance and props in Andalusia and North Africa in the 13th. century.”

Sep. 12: A workshop with Suzanne Meyers Sawa for music students at Yale University: “A Sonic Demonstration of al-Fārābī’s rhythmic theories using qānūn and percussion.”

Oct. 17: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Tranzac Club in Toronto.

Oct. 22: A Zoom for Egypt Week Cross Cultures, Waterloo, Ontario: I related my musical and school experience in multi-cultural Alexandria from 1950 to 1970.

Oct. 25: Gave a 2-hour workshop on melodic modes changes in dance music.

Oct. 26: Judge at the Masriyyat Festival for the Rising Stars and the Queens bellydancers competition.

2023 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Jan. 14-15, 21, 28-29: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Musicality for dancers

Feb. 4, 26: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Musicality for dancers

Mar. 2: Workshop with Suzanne Meyers Sawa at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute for music and Middle Eastern students

Apr. 30: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Musicality for dancers

May 8: A zoom lecture about al-Fārābī’s paradigm for the Hamburg Colloquim on music theory

May 28: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Musicality for dancers

Jun. 3, 10, 17, 24: Workshop on medieval Middle Eastern Dances for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Jun. 4: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Dance aesthetic for dancers

Jun. 11: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Rhythms for dancers

Jul. 1: Performance with Suzanne Meyers Sawa at the Arabic Canadian Book Fair

Jul. 14: Performance in front yard with three bellydancers: Asli Rakkas, Sol Smith and Tamara Naima

Aug. 13: Performance for an Iraqi wedding ini Vaughn, Ontario

Sep. 1: Zoom lecture for Mahin Sciacca bellydance workshop series about the life and art of Riyad al-Sunbati

Oct. 22: Zoom workshop about Egyptian music appreciation for Charlene Bosiak’s students in Saskatoon

Oct. 26-29: Performer, lecturer and judge at the Masriyat Intensive Workshops 2023

Nov. 4: Zoom workshop with dance artist Joana Saahirah in Portugal about Egyptian music appreciation

2022 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Jan. 12: Workshop on zoom for Yasmina Ramzy belly dance school

Feb. 22: Workshop in studio for Yasmina Ramzy belly dance school

Mar. 2: Workshop in studio for Yasmina Ramzy belly dance school and zoom

Mar. 20: Zoom meeting with Yasmina Ramzy and dancers about Al-Qamar film showcasing classical, folk and sufi dances.

Mar. 23: Workshop with Yasmina Razmy for Vaughn School.

Apr. 3: Workshop on Arabic rhythms, improvisations, musical forms and aesthetics for the International Festival of Arabic Dance, FIDA MEXICO ONLINE

May. 15: Workshop on tasqsims (improvisations) for the FIDA MEXICO ONLINE

May. 21: Performance of two pieces on line for the Grand Rapids Michigan belllydance shimmies school.

Jun. 1: Performance in front yard with two bellydancers: Asli Rakkas and Claudya Guevara Chavez

Jun. 11: Zoom workshop with dance artist Joana Saahirah in Portugal

Jun. 19: Zoom workshop on musical forms of bellydance music for Mahin Sciacca bellydance workshop series

Jul. 7: Performance in front yard with two bellydancers: Asli Rakkas and Claudya Guevara Chavez

Jul. 18: Workshop for bellydancers for Yasmina Pro-Course

Sep. 2: Workshop for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Sep. 7: Performance in front yard with two bellydancers: Asli Rakkas and Claudya Guevara Chavez

Sep. 9: Workshop for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Sep. 11: Took part in a zoom conference on bellydance terminology held in Nicosia; workshop on zoom with Joana Saahirah in Portugal

Sep. 16: Workshop for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Sep. 17: Webinar with Joana Saahirah: An overview of Egyptian Music and Musicality for dancers

Sep. 20: Performance in front yard with Egyptian dancer Radwa Nasr: Tannura whirling dervish type dance and Upper Egyptian Dances

Sep. 23: Workshop for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Sep. 26: Zoom with Joana Saahirah

Sep. 30: Workshop for Chinese dancers organized by Wendi Weng

Oct. 8 and 9: Worldwide zoom workshop on Rhythms for Oriental Dancers with Joana Saahirah

Oct. 21: Performance at the Music Climate Summit held at the Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education

Nov. 19-20: Zoom with Joana Saahirah analyzing Leylet Hobb

Nov. 22: Zoom lecture at York University (Toronto) on qanun tunings and repertoire

Dec. 14: Performed at Yasmina Ramzy Arts Student Holiday Party in Toronto

2021 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Feb. 14: A lecture on zoom for Calgary Water Wheel project (music of the qanun)

Feb. 15: Private music lesson on zoom for a belly dancer.

Feb. 23: Workshop on zoom for a belly dance school

Mar. 9: Private music lesson on zoom for a belly dancer.

Mar. 12-14: Took part in a zoom conference about the music and dance of Egypt in the golden era (Kan Zaman, Brussels, Belgium), gave a demonstration lecture on early golden era musical forms

Mar. 20: Gave a lecture demonstration of qanun music on zoom (Denmark)

Mar. 21: A lecture on zoom for Calgary Water Wheel project (an overview of Arabic music history)

Mar. 26: Acted in a video about Middle East tea drinking

Mar. 28: Took part in a zoom conference in Peru about music and dance of the Egyptian Golden Era

Apr. 26: Private music lesson on zoom for a belly dancer.

May 5: Private music lesson on zoom for a belly dancer.

June 10-12: Took part in a zoom conference about ancient Greece and medieval Arabic music and read a paper on the debt of al-Farabi to ancient Greek theorists (Bochum, Germany)

June 15:: Private music lesson on zoom for a belly dancer.

June 27: A zoom lecture on the music of Farid el-Atrash for Mahin Sciacca bellydance workshop series

July 10, 17, 24, 31: Teaching qanun techniques and ornamentation on zoom for Labyrinth

Aug. 1: Video taping session with Suzanne Meyers Sawa: music performance and demonstration lecture for Modal Music in the Parks, LabyrinthOntario.com

Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28 Teaching qanun techniques and ornamentation on zoom for Labyrinth

Sep. 2, 9, 16, 23 Teaching qanun techniques and ornamentation on zoom for Labyrinth

Nov. 24-26: Intensive workshops at home for two bellydancers from Saskatoon

Dec. 15: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Hazelton Place Retirement Residence with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas

2020 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Jan. 14: Performance at a private party

Apr. 25: Performance for Arabesque Dance School Gala

May 23: Performance at a private party with bellydancers

June 28: A zoom lecture on the music of Muhammad Abdel-Wahab for Mahin Sciacca bellydance workshop series

Aug. 7: Performance at a private party with bellydancers

Sep. 11: Performance at a private party with bellydancers

Oct. 2: A zoom lecture on the music of the Middle East for Mahin Sciacca bellydance workshop series

Oct. 26: Zoom workshop for a bellydance school in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Nov. 23: CBC interview with Yasmine el-Beih

Dec. 26: A zoom workshop for a bellydance school in China with Wendy Weng

2019 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Feb. 27: Performances of European medieval music and Middle Eastern music with Alpharabius: A demonstration lecture and concert  “Embracing Rich Musical Diversity,” with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas for Senior College, at the Faculty Club, University of Toronto

Mar. 6: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for the Firth Annual Arab Culture Day at York University

Mar. 10: Recorded a session with Aaron Fieldstone for a music therapy project, Toronto

Mar. 24: Read excerpts form my latest book: “Musical and Socio-Cultural Anecdotes from The Grand Book of Songs of al-Isfahani (d 971), at the Arabesque Dance Academy, Toronto

Mar. 29-30: Workshops and concerts for Melos in Kingston

Apr. 15: Performance for the Canada Arab Business Council, Toronto

Apr. 28: Performance for three dancers (Yasmina Ramzy, Anuka Toma and Sol Smith) at the Hiplick Triptych VOL. 2: A Bellydance Experience at the Drom Taberna, Toronto

May 3-5:; Workshops and concerts for the bellydance conference “Egyptian Folk Night Showcase,” Calgary;

May 10-11:; Concert  with Alpharabius and Sine Nomine and guest dancer Nada al-Masreyya for the Melos Choir and Period Instruments “Early Music and Dance, from the Middle East to France, 9th-19 Centuries”

May 17:; Performances with Alpahrabius and Sine Nomine “Encounters and Reflections. Medieval Mediterranean and Classical and Traditional Middle Eastern Music,” with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas, Trinity College, Univ. of Toronto

June 1: Performance at the Arabesque Sublime Gala at the Palmerston Library, Toronto

June 15: Music appreciation lecture for dancers, at Mahin Scaccia online, Menat

June 19: Interview with Iana Komarnitska: #bellydancelifepodcast; Episode 75,  George Sawa, Digging Deep into the History of Egyptian Music. www.ianadance.com/podcast https://www.ianadance.com/bellydance-life/episode75?fbclid=IwAR3Q12xIeNdKPhGdSDVviZSDcV2TtZcBcztAiZKuZf3hL2xqgKp0Dq-UwHk

Jul. 13-21:; Music appreciation workshop for Yasmina’s Arabesque pro-course, Toronto

Jul. 19-21: Performance and judge at Doaa Sallam festival at the Egyptian Dance Academy, Toronto

Aug. 18:; Workshop and concert for DragonFly studio, Toronto, performed for ten dancers

Aug. 31: “Getting Inside Egyptian Music: Forms, Maqam, Tarab and Your Dance” Mahin’s Bellydance Quickies, Live Stream

Oct. 6: Music appreciation workshop for Yasmina’s Arabesque pro-course, Toronto

Oct. 24-27:; Acted a a judge at two competitions at the Mastiryatt Intensive Festival and performed for 10 dancers competiting while dancing to my improvisations

Nov. 9:; Performed at Arabesque Sublime Gala at the Palmerston Library, Toronto, for Yasmina Ramzy and for 25 dancers dancing to Upper Egyptian music

Nov. 15: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Faculty Club, for “Charting Our Course: Empowering Librarians at the Univ. of Toronto”. One day Conference sponsored by the Librarians’ Committee of UTFA

Nov. 21: Performed at The United Nations Association in Canada, 2019 Global Citizens Dinner Honouring Walied Sliman, ROM, Toronto

Nov. 27: Concert with Alpharabius and two dancers, Asli Raqqas and Vanessa Sun, for the Arts and Letters Club, Toronto

Nov. 30: Performed at “The North Wind Concerts: Encircling the World: Zithers,” at the Heliconian Club, Toronto

2018 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Jan. 9: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at the Arabesque Dance Academy

Jan.11: Lecture and performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble and the Egyptian master percussionist Hany Morgan at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, for a World Music class and a music education class

Feb. 2: Performance with Belly Dancer Sayuri at Trinity College, Univ. of Toronto, for the late Prof. David Waterhouse Celebration of Life

May. 4-6: Three qanun improvisations for belly dancers’ warm-up at the Bellydance Blossom Festival, Toronto; one performance with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas

Jun.14: Gave a lecture: “Ibn Al Tahhan: A Compendium of a Fatimid Court Musician," a dictionary and biography of music and musicians of the Fatimid era, at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

Jun. 22: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Hazelton Place Retirement Residence

Aug. 5: Private performance at an Egyptian wedding

Oct. 3: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Hazelton Place Retirement Residence with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas

Oct. 13: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble and Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas for the late Prof. Amir Hassanpour Memorial Lecture, Innis College, Univ. of Toronto

Nov. 8: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at the Arabesque Dance Academy

Nov. 18: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at the Arabesque Dance Academy

Dec. 1: Performance of improvisation for Arabesque Academy Christmas Gala

Dec. 16: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at Dragonfly Bellydance Studio with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas and singer Brenna MacCrimmon

Dec. 19: Performance with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at the Hazelton Place Retirement Residence with Belly Dancer Asli Rakkas

 

2017 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 

 

  • Feb. 15: Lecture on Arabic music with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for an ethnomusicology class, University of Toronto

  • Mar. 4: Music appreciation workshop and taqsims for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • Apr. 2: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for the Toronto Palestinian Film Festival, Mississauga, Ontario

  • Apr. 24: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for "Sounding Together, Standing Together. The U of T Faculty of Music Responds to the Violence of Our Times," at the Hart House Music Room, University of Toronto

  • May 3: Performance of medieval European music and Middle Eastern music with Alpharabius Ensemble at the Arts and Letters Club, Toronto

  • May. 5-7: Two qanun performances and a paper "Recreating the Soul of Bellydance Music of the Golden Egyptian Era." Bellydance Blossom Festival, Toronto

  • May 11: Lecture on Arabic music with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for an ethnomusicology class, University of Toronto

  • May 23: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for a Syrian Refugees Benefit concert, Oshawa, ON

  • June 3: Readings from my book EROTICA, LOVE AND HUMOR IN ARABIA, Artery Showcase with Brenna MacCrimmon, Toronto

  • Jul. 13: TV interview for the Yalla Talk TV: Qissat Nagaah, Success Story, with Lina Zakaria and Amira Issa

  • Aug. 12: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble at a wedding in Caledon, ON

  • Oct. 21: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for the Egyptian Club, Mississauga, ON

  • Oct. 26-29: Performer, translator, and lecturer about baladi music for Nada el-Masriya, Randa Kamel and Tito Seif, at the Masriyat Intensive Workshops 2017

  • Nov. 21: Performance of medieval European music and Middle Eastern music with Alpharabius Ensemble at the Toronto Public Library

  • Nov. 21: Solo qanun performance for a wedding at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON

  • Nov. 30: Performance and lecture at the Ethnomusicology Round Table, with the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble and Hany Morgan and Yasmina Ramzy, Univ. of Toronto

  • Dec. 2: Performance at the Arabesque Academy 30th Anniversary Gala Celebratioin with Yasmina Ramzy and Hany Morgan

2015 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

  • Jan. 21: Lecture on Arabic music with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for an ethnomusicology class, University of Toronto

  • Jan. 24: Judge at the Egyptian Student Association Talent Show, York University, Toronto

  • Apr. 2: Qanun performance for a fund raising dinner for the Toronto Palestinian Film Festival

  • Feb. 13 Qanun performance for a fund raiser for Sister of Salome Production, Toronto

  • Mar. 7: Qanun performance for a wedding, Toronto

  • Mar. 8: Lecture and performance on fusion in Arabic music, Dragonfly Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • Mar. 16-20: Guest lecturer and performer at the University of Alberta, Music Department: lectures on “Al-Farabi’s Paradigms and Theories of Rhythms,” “Al-Isbahani’s and his Kitab al-Aghani (musicological topics and metaphors),” “Arabic Music, Ornamentation, Aesthetics, and the many Forms of Dance Music,” “The Qanun: Techniques and Repertoire” workshop; “Art of Arabic Instrumental Improvisation”; two concerts at Convocation Hall and at the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action’s Program for the UN International Day to end Racial Discrimination, Edmonton

  • Apr. 5: Performance and lecture with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for the Khosrowshahi Event, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

  • May 3: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • May 11 to 14: Private classes of music appreciation workshops for dancers, Toronto

  • May 24: Qanun performance at a private party, Toronto

  • May 30: Concert with Bob Ferrin, Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto

  • June 17: Qanun performance for “The Art of Improvisation. An Evening of Persian and Arabic Music and Dance Improvisation at the Musideum, with Iana Komarnytska, Mehdi Rezania, Bamdad Fotouhi and Pedro Bonatto, Toronto

  • June 20: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • July 3-4: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • July 5-22: Qanun performances and workshops and DVDs production for Brazilian dancers at ShangriLa Studio with Lulu Sabongi, Sao Paulo, Brazil

  • July 25: Qanun performance for a wedding, Toronto

  • July 26: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • Aug. 11: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at JoAnne Camilleri’s Studio, Toronto

  • Sep. 14: Qanun improvisations for Karen Mulhallen’s reading of her Code Orange poems, Toronto

  • Sep. 27: Qanun performance at the Palestinian Film Festival, Toronto

  • Oct. 23: Qanun performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble and Michael Franklin at Old Fort York, Toronto

  • Oct. 27: Lecture on Arabic music with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for an ethnomusicology class, University of Toronto

  • Nov. 4: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble and book launch of my “Arabic Musical and Socio-Cultural Glossary of Kitab al-Aghani,” Toronto

  • Dec. 18: Qanun performance for Oasis Centre des Femmes end of year function, Toronto

2016 PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

  • Jan. 30: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for a benefit concert for Friends of the National Yacht Club Refugee Resettlement Task Force (Syrian refugees), Toronto

  • Feb. 27: Qanun performance at a private party, Toronto

  • Mar. 19: Qanun performance for a wedding, Toronto

  • Apr. 1-3: Two qanun performances and a paper on The Aesthetics and Types of Dances in the Medieval Middle East at the Bellydance Blossom Festival, Toronto

  • Apr. 9: Performance with The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble for a benefit concert for Syrian refugees with Jason Wilson, Toronto

  • Jun. 3: Qanun performance for a wedding, Toronto

  • Jun. 5: Qanun performance with superstar dancers Doaa Sallam and Nada el-Masreya, Toronto

  • Jun. 11: Qanun performance for good-bye party for Habibi Hobeika, Toronto

  • Jul. 9: Music appreciation workshop for dancers at Hannan’s Bellydance Studio, Toronto

  • Sep. 8-11: Qanun performer and judge at Egypt Raqs Bellydance conference and competition, with Egyptian dance superstars Lubna Eman and Khaled Mahmoud, Toronto

  • Oct. 27-30: Qanun performer and judge at Nada el-Masriya’s Bellydance conference and competition, with Egyptian dance superstars Randa Kamel and Mohammad Shahin, Toronto, National Ballet School.

  • Nov. 20: Launch of book EROTICA, LOVE AND HUMOR IN ARABIA, Round Venue, Toronto.