If music is viewed as the universal language, then a musical celebration of any event has the power to touch just about everyone on Earth.
American pianist Kimball Gallagher and Tunisian violin prodigy Nidhal Jebali will team up on a program that features original compositions of Jaloul Ayad, the Tunisian minister of finance. The program takes place this evening in the Terrace Theater of the Kennedy Center as part of the Millennium Stage series.
The duo’s relationship began in Tunisia, a place Gallagher has visited six times as a member of an organization called Cultures in Harmony.
| Onstage |
| Kimball Gallagher and Nidhal Jebali |
| Where: Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW |
| When: 6 p.m. Sunday |
| Info: Free, 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600, kennedy-center.org |
“The [organization] does collaborations between American musicians and musicians in other countries,” Gallagher, a Julliard graduate, explained. “We set up summer programs with students. The faculty is American, [and] that’s how I got involved.”
When the Tunisian minister was set to bring one of his symphonies to the District, Gallagher saw this opportunity, coupled with the anniversary of the revolution, as a perfect time to perform in conjunction with that event. He and young Jebali, who now studies violin at Indiana University, have performed together many times, and both compose and play their own works as well.
“This is a very special concert, [and] I will be composing a short piece for the event,” Gallagher continued. “There are a lot of short pieces in this hour-long program; many of the works are two to five minutes long, [and] between every two to four pieces, I will speak to the audience, telling them stories about Tunisia. I think they’re very poignant to present because they highlight individual Tunisians in the landscape of the entire country.”
Among the musical offerings will be Nidhal Jebali’s original composition titled “Metamorphosis.” Jebali will perform solo violin pieces, and then the two will play together.
“Another interesting thing about the concert is that Jaloul has publicized the concert on a very large scale in Tunisia, and because the concert is going to be webcast, we can anticipate an audience of thousands in Tunisia,” he added.
Gallagher’s hope is that the audience at Kennedy will leave the concert with an interest in, and warm feelings about, Tunisia.
“I think the main emphasis of the concert is that the music represents a true friendship and collaboration between me and the Tunisian people. I feel I am the representative of many other Americans who have similar relationships,” he said.
