Ashgabat, October 7, 2016 – Tomorrow, October 8, 2016 at 19:00, 24 musicians and composers from across Central Asia and the United States will perform on one stage at the Mukamlar Palace of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Central Asian independence. This music program – Playing Together: Celebrating U.S.-Central Asian Collaboration – is a follow-up to the discussions held during the C5+1 meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and five Central Asian foreign ministers in 2015.
Four folk musicians from each of the five Central Asian countries joined three American musicians and composers to form a regional ensemble and prepared a joint repertoire during a week-long workshop in Almaty, Kazakhstan. After performing in Ashgabat, the ensemble will travel to each Central Asian capital with the concert. The ensemble will travel according to the following schedule:
October 1–6: Workshop in Almaty, Kazakhstan
October 6: Concert in Almaty, Kazakhstan
October 8: Concert in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
October 11: Concert in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
October 12: Concert in Astana, Kazakhstan
October 14: Concert in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
October 17: Concert in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
During this regional exchange, participants will create new compositions that reflect the diversity of American and Central Asian traditional, classical, and contemporary music, while building friendships and professional networks. The concerts will highlight the diversity of Central Asia as well as commonalities in traditions and cultures, demonstrating how music and cross-cultural exchange can unite people and help build a more stable, prosperous, and integrated region.
For more information about this program, please contact the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat at (+99312) 473506 (ext. 1) or e-mail irc-ashgabat@state.gov.
