All music is banned in Afghanistan.
Musical traditions must live on in exile.
The "Afghan Orchestra" is a mixed ensemble of traditional Afghan and Western instruments. This unique type of ensemble plays music by Afghan composers and often is a mix of Afghan and international musicians. Once a prevalent style in Afghanistan, since the 2021 ban on music there have only been a handful of Afghan orchestral concerts in the world. One of them took place in Hartford, Connecticut on October 27, 2024. You may experience this concert on this page- a concert featuring 9 Afghan musicians & composers with the Cuatro Puntos Chamber Orchestra.
View the Program Booklet here
get tickets here for Uncaged: illuminating Afghan women artists through music & dance on April 13, 2025 at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT
Broken Mountains - Arson Fahim
Nostalgia - Milad Yousufi
Rag Marwa - Huma Rahimi & Hamid Habib Zada
A Melody of Hope Amidst Chaos - Qudrat Wasefi
A Land Out of Earth - Mohammad Qambar Nawshad
Asman-e Abi - arr. Qudrat Wasefi
En Gham Be Haya - arr. Arson Fahim
Endless - Nazira Wali
Afghan Medley - Mohammad Qambar Nawshad
Listen to composers Nazira Wali & Arson Fahim, with conductor Kevin Bishop, on NPR's Where We Live
Cuatro Puntos Chamber Orchestra
Kevin Bishop, conductor
assisted by Arson Fahim
Sitar: Huma Rahimi
Rubab: Hasan Ali Khan
Harmonium: Arson Fahim
Tabla: Hamid Habib Zada
Zerbagali: Ameen Mokdad
Piano: Arson Fahim, Jason Nguyen
Violin 1: Aaron Packard, Chris Kwon, Ginny Allen, Josephine Nelson, Philip Larson
Violin 2: Annie Trépanier, Sunbul Reha, Leo Kasle, Ivy Altman, Debbie Stowell
Viola: Steve Larson, Maris Leese, Emily Scace, Emily Tacuri Penaranda
Cello: Allan Ballinger, Nazira Wali, Elinor Bishop, Susan Clark
Flute: Wennifer Sun
Clarinet: Kirk Edwards
Oboe: Harry Kliewe
Bassoon: Adrienne Gallagher
Trumpet: Qudrat Wasefi
Horn: Adam Agonoy
Trombone: Joe Campolieta
Western Percussion: Anthony Soscia, Ameen Mokdad, Arson Fahim
Cover art: Sama Wali
Audio Recording: Aidan Slate
Video Recording: Jimmy Ji
Audio Mastering: Kevin Bishop
Video Editing: Kevin Bishop
from a live concert titled Symphony of Resilience, performed at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
Organized by Cuatro Puntos- dedicated to amplifying silenced, persecuted and underrepresented musicians and their unique styles of music.
Sponsored by: Greater Hartford Arts Council, Amphion Foundation, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, donations from generous supporters throughout New England.
Kevin Bishop, conductor
assisted by Arson Fahim
Sitar: Huma Rahimi
Rubab: Hasan Ali Khan
Harmonium: Arson Fahim
Tabla: Hamid Habib Zada
Zerbagali: Ameen Mokdad
Piano: Arson Fahim, Jason Nguyen
Violin 1: Aaron Packard, Chris Kwon, Ginny Allen, Josephine Nelson, Philip Larson
Violin 2: Annie Trépanier, Sunbul Reha, Leo Kasle, Ivy Altman, Debbie Stowell
Viola: Steve Larson, Maris Leese, Emily Scace, Emily Tacuri Penaranda
Cello: Allan Ballinger, Nazira Wali, Elinor Bishop, Susan Clark
Flute: Wennifer Sun
Clarinet: Kirk Edwards
Oboe: Harry Kliewe
Bassoon: Adrienne Gallagher
Trumpet: Qudrat Wasefi
Horn: Adam Agonoy
Trombone: Joe Campolieta
Western Percussion: Anthony Soscia, Ameen Mokdad, Arson Fahim
Cover art: Sama Wali
Audio Recording: Aidan Slate
Video Recording: Jimmy Ji
Audio Mastering: Kevin Bishop
Video Editing: Kevin Bishop
from a live concert titled Symphony of Resilience, performed at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
Organized by Cuatro Puntos- dedicated to amplifying silenced, persecuted and underrepresented musicians and their unique styles of music.
Sponsored by: Greater Hartford Arts Council, Amphion Foundation, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, donations from generous supporters throughout New England.