Dear Colleagues of the Rebetiko List,
I am writing to share the following invitation with you.
If you want to join the mailing list for this Tour, write to me at:
ed.emery.soas@gmail.com
The tour is designed in such a way that people can drop in and out, as they need to.
Our Turkish rebetiko colleagues will be joining us for this tour.
With rebetological greetings,
Ed
_____________
INVITATION:
The SOAS Rebetiko Band tour to Istanbul, Izmir, Ayvalik, Lesbos and Athens
Proposed dates are: 25 May to 4 June 2027 [tbc]
You are invited to join a very exciting venture that will take place in
late May 2027.
Last week the SOAS Rebetiko Band embarked on a musical tour to Izmir and
Ayvalik. In both places we met with local Turkish musicians who play
Rebetiko. We did amazing bar sessions and concerts in which we sang each
others songs. We found common ground, because Rebetiko is a shared
musical heritage between Greeks and Turks. It is a genre that knows no
borders.
As an indication of the cultural importance of this trip, they tell me
that the little Instagram clip of our last Saturday’s concert event in
Izmir currently has 125k views and almost 4,500 likes.
Arising out of this trip we are now planning a second tour, to take
place at the end of May 2027. The tour will extend over about 10 days.
The basic details are outlined below. It will be structured in such a
way that people can drop in and out as they wish, depending on the time
that they have available.
This invitation is extended to all interested persons. If you would like
to be kept informed about the latest developments, you will need to join
our mailing list. To join the list, please write to:
ed.emery.soas@gmail.com
[I should add that there is no independent funding for this tour. All
participants will fund their own travel and accommodation.]
THE OUTLINE PLAN
The Rebetiko Band tour will encompass Istanbul / Izmir / Ayvalik /
Lesvos Athens.
The proposed dates are: 25 May to 4 June 2027 [tbc]
The tour is open to all interested parties.
1. We start in Istanbul. Two nights. We do one formal concert there. We
also do bar sessions with local musicians. And an informal afternoon
event in the ships chandlery area of Galata / Karaköy.
2. We fly to Izmir. Again, two nights. We do one gig with students of
the University of the Aegean music conservatoire. This will include an
afternoon seminar session to talk about our shared musics. And a
harbourside bar session in Izmir.
3. We travel up the coast to Ayvalik, where we do a concert at the
lovely Fabrika theatre. Again with local musicians. We shall develop
material from our “Sea Songs of the Mediterranean” programme
4. We travel by ferry boat across to the Greek island of Lesbos /
Mytilene (90 mins.). We shall be joined in our travels by Turkish
musicians from Izmir and Ayvalik.
5. We travel to Athens. I shall be organising a two-day conference
entitled “Prison Songs of the Mediterranean”, to continue the
conferencing work that we initiated at last month’s Mediterranean Music
Studies colloquium in Izmir. The aim is to do at least part of the
conference around the former Oropos prison, north of Athens. There is
significant musical history at Oropos. The conference will include
musical events.
In short, a very fine musical and academic trip.
If you are interested to join, we look forward to hearing from you.
With best regards,
Ed