the director |
Video welcome address by Ali Jihad Racy |
Ali Jihad Racy
Distinguished Professor, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Department of Ethnomusicology A. J. Racy is a performer,
composer and Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of California at
Los Angeles. Born in Lebanon, he comes from a well-known family of artists,
scholars, and academicians. Racy is internationally recognized for his
extraordinary musicianship and his numerous publications, including his
award-winning book, Making Music in the Arab World: The Culture and Artistry
of Tarab (Cambridge University Press, 2003). He is a master of many
traditional instruments, particularly the nay, a reed-flute, and the buzuq,
a long-necked fretted lute. |
He has composed and performed for the Kronos Quartet and the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra, as well as for feature and documentary films. His music has been released on a number of CDs, including three Lyrichord albums, Ancient Egypt, Taqasim, and Mystical Legacies, and on a Kronos Quartet release titled Caravan. Dr. Racy is the recipient of numerous honors and tributes from a variety of cultural institutions for his outstanding artistry and his continuous work toward greater intercultural understanding and cooperation. |
The Director |