For the past 10 years, Israel’s Diwan Saz Interfaith Ensemble has used its music to promote peace, harmony and coexistence. The group brings its message to Toronto this week as part of the second annual Spotlight on Israeli Culture.
The two-month showcase that runs until March 23 features the best of Israeli music, theatre, film, dance and visual arts, and brings together a number of local organizations that work to promote Israeli culture.
One of those organizations is the Ashkenaz Foundation, which hosts an interfaith panel discussion titled “Music and the Arts: A Bridge to Peace,” March 11, at the Schwartz/Reisman Centre in Vaughan, Ont.
Using the work of Diwan Saz as an example, a panel of artists and community leaders explores how music, art and culture can bridge communities all around the world.
The following night, on March 12, the multicultural group Diwan Saz, made up of Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Bedouin musicians who perform ancient music from Central Asia, Turkey, Persia and Israel, will perform at Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum.
Speaking from his home in the Galilee, 39-year-old Yochai Barak, the group’s founder and musical director, told The CJN that when the group first formed 10 years ago, he had no idea what it would become.
“It is totally different today. It started just for the sake of playing music with some very advanced students of mine, and musician friends,” said Barak, who teaches at a music school in Jerusalem called the Center for Middle Eastern Classical Music.
“After a few years, it evolved so that the best musicians in Israel came and joined us. Also, we live in the northern Galilee next to Nazareth and we’re surrounded by Christian and Muslim and Jewish villages, so from all over they came, and it became not only about music, but a dialogue.”
The band members are Barak, who plays the saz and baglama; Udi Benknaan on the lyre and saz; percussionist Eyal Luman; Amir Shahsar, the Persian vocalist and nay player; Lubna Salame, the Arabic vocalist; Tzipora El-Rei, the Hebrew and Turkish vocalist; bassist Rani Lorentz; a Turkish oud and kanun master named Mumin Sesler; cantorial master Rabbi David Menachem; and Muhammad Gadir, a nine-year-old Bedouin singer.
“[Gadir] lives in the village next to us, and I know his father from childhood. We are like family,” Barak said.
He said the “interfaith dialogue aspect” of the band happened organically.
“It was nothing I had thought about doing. It just naturally happened. We have a very good relationship. This area is very peaceful. We love the culture around us,” he said.
Barak said the band represents a living example that the power of music can transcend boundaries and differences.
“It shows what happens when people of goodwill and dedication to unity bring their hearts and talents together for mutual harmony and respect and inspiration,” he said.
“It is very special. I can see it in the crowd. Also in different countries where we play, people – it really touches them and shows different possibilities for things to evolve and not just be in the way we are used to thinking about it and see in the media.”
Barak said what is unique about their performances is that they go beyond what is happening on the stage.
“It can’t happen without the crowd. The crowd is part of the scene that’s happening on the stage and we welcome everyone to come and be part of it,” he said.
“I think music is the highest level of communication between people. If you think about it, there is no one who doesn’t like music. Everyone likes different types of music, but when we try to connect on this level of music and not just starting to go deep inside the different conversations – it’s surprising to see how you can connect on this high level and how it can affect daily life.”
Diwan Saz is currently touring a number of North American cities, including Boston and Vancouver. For more information, visit www.diwansaz.com.