A clip from the trio’s performance:
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The Alim Qasimov Trio, a musical group from Azerbaijan who have performed alongside Yo-Yo Ma, performed today at Lutkin Hall from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The rare performance featured a pre-performance lecture by Professor Inna Naroditskaya. The event is part of several features in the Silk Road Chicago series.
The group consists of Alim Qasimov on vocals, Rauf Islamov playing the kemanche, or “spike fiddle,” and Ali Asger Memmedov on the tar, or the “long-necked lute.”
Northwestern students came to the show excited to hear the Middle Eastern artists. Music freshman Allyson Boe said she hopes the concert enlightens her on the world of Arabic sound.
“I’ve always been interested in Middle Eastern music,” she said. “I just don’t know much about it.”
Chris Warren isn’t as alien to the sounds of the Alim Qasimov Trio. The Weinberg junior has seen the group before.
“I saw them sing with Yo-Yo Ma,” he said. “It was absolutely awesome.”
School of Music bass professor Daxun Zhang could one-up Warren.
“I have played with them before,” he said. “It was one of the most inspiring musical moments of my life.” Zhang said he wanted to see the trio perform once again.
Professor Inna Naroditskaya graced the stage before the group started playing, and gave a brief overview of the trio’s musical stylings and some fact about the nation of Azerbaijian. The two instrumentalists gave a quick sample of the sounds said instruments could generate. They also played some Western-world tunes, including “Flight of the Bumblebee,” to great laughter.
Qasimov was introduced to loud applause, and he took his seat on the stage clutching a large tamborine-like instrument. The trio launched into a long song which jumped from loud sections to more subdued portions. Qasimov raised and lowered his voice frequently, all while moving his hands through the air. After several minutes, the group completed the song, and were showered with immense applause. They dove into the next long song, a faster paced tune occassionally slowed down by narration from Qasimov. Again, the song lasted several minutes, but was met with a thunderous applause.
Photos and audio by Tom Giratikanon.
