Amir ElSaffar's Rivers of Sound Orchestra
Iraqi-American trumpeter, santur (hammered dulcimer) player, vocalist, and composer Amir ElSaffar has mastered disparate musical styles and created a singular approach to combining aspects of Middle Eastern music with American jazz, extending the boundaries of each tradition. A recipient of the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and a 2018 United States Artists Fellow, he is also a purveyor of the centuries old, now endangered, Iraqi maqam tradition, which he performs actively as a vocalist and santur player. ElSaffar’s Rivers of Sound Orchestra brings together 17 musicians from a broad spectrum of traditions, creating an entirely new musical vocabulary that transcends established notions of style. As the orchestra’s treatment of pitches and rhythms become fluid, so do cultural boundaries: elements that traditionally divide musicians into separate genres are recontextualized in a fresh transcultural soundscape. This musical alchemy led the Chicago Tribune to call ElSaffar “one of the most promising figures in jazz today.”
If you can, show your love for the arts by purchasing an “Advocate” ticket; the additional ticket cost directly benefits Krannert Center.
Tickets for this event will go on sale to the public at 10am on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Tickets will be sold online only as mobile or print-at-home tickets and are not available for purchase by phone or at the Ticket Office counter. Before the on-sale date, please visit Krannert Center’s online ticket office to ensure you have or can create an active account. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel welcome to contact the Ticket Office at 217.333.6280 or kran-tix [at] illinois.edu. To learn about early ticket-buying opportunities, please contact Krannert Center’s Advancement team: 217.333.6700 or advancement [at] krannertcenter.illinois.edu.
In order to attend an in-theatre performance at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, audience members must provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. This change is occurring in response to increasingly strict contractual requirements of visiting artists, evolving performing arts industry standards, and audience expectations. At this time, face coverings are still required in indoor university spaces such as Krannert Center. Face coverings must be worn throughout any event or performance. For more information, please see our COVID-19 Safety Protocols page.
