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The Nile Project

The Nile Project, Photo by Habi Girgis

The Nile Project, Photo by Wael Gzoly

Performance: Monday, March 13 at 7:30PM

"We inspire, inform, and connect Nile citizens to help them collaborate on cultivating the sustainability of their river." - The Nile Project

From its debut concert, captured live on the 2013 release entitled ASWAN, it was clear that the Nile Project was something completely new. National Public Radio named the recording one of five “Must Hear International Albums.” Fast forward a few years - through tours in Africa, Europe, the US and UAE - and almost all major media outlets agree that the Nile Project is much more than just a band. 

The Nile Project by Laila Yasser

The Nile Project, Photo by Laila Yasser

The New York Times described it as “a committed, euphoric international coalition.”

Afropop Worldwidecalls it “seductive and beautiful […] nothing short of revolutionary.”  

One of the tightest cross-cultural collaborations in musical history, the Nile Project brings together artists from the 11 Nile countries, representing over 450 million people, to compose new songs that combine the rich diversity of one of the oldest places on Earth. Kindred harps and resonant lyres from the river’s sources in East Africa and Ethiopia to its deltas in Sudan and Egypt have reunited to learn new musical modes while buzzing timbres and ingenious polyrhythms support vocals in more than ten languages.

The Nile Project is a state-wide collaborative initiative of the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University, the Batte Center at Wingate, NC State LIVE (in partnership with the NC State Music Department), The Schaefer Center Presents at Appalachian State University, the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series at East Carolina University, and UNCW Presents.

Get a sneak peek of their cross-cultural collaboration in this video below.


THE NILE PROJECT RELATED EVENTS

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

The Nile & African Identity: Discussion and Music Demonstration with Nile Project Musicians at Folkmoot

Monday, March 13,10am – 11am | Folkmoot 112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786

Water resource conflicts are often rooted in political and cultural differences. Divergent understandings of African identity have played a significant role in the case of the Nile Basin. In this conversation, we will investigate what it means to be African. How have different Nile civilizations seen themselves vis­à­vis their river neighbors? How have these relations been impacted by religions, colonial interests, slavery, and civil wars? We will explore the ways varying definitions of being "African" have affected Nile history. We will draw from examples of how the world music industry portrays African identity and share how the Nile Project represents a departure from traditionally­ exported African music. This event is free for WCU students, $3 for Haywood County students and $5 for the general public.

Music, Citizen Engagement, & Water Resource Management Panel Discussion

Monday March 13, 2:30 – 4pm | Room 130 Bardo Arts Center

Moderated by Bardo Arts Center Executive Director, Denise Drury Homewood

Panelists:

Dr. Lane Perry, Director, WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning

Roger Clapp, Exec. Director of the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River

Dr. Robert J. "Trip" Krenz, Assistant Professor, WCU Geosciences and Natural Resources

Lauren Bishop, Lauren Bishop, WCU Director of Sustainability & Energy Management

Mina Girgis, Founder The Nile Project

Join the Bardo Arts Center for a moderated panel discussion in conjunction with the upcoming performance by The Nile Project highlighting issues at the intersection of music, citizen engagement and water resource management. Human life depends on the availability and quality of water to sustain our health, grow our food, power our homes with electricity, and stimulate our economies. However, due to overpopulation, increased demand for food, climate change and pollution, as much as two thirds of the world's citizens may face water stressed conditions severely impacting the living and economic conditions of communities, countries, and regions by 2025. Without water, we cannot survive. How can we, as individuals, become more involved in the management of this precious and limited resource? During this panel, participants will explore ways in which music has been instrumentalized as a citizen engagement strategy to overcome political stakeholder barriers, create a common understanding between competing interests, and build constituencies for action both between and within nations where water has become an impediment to peace and socio economic development. This is event is free and open to the public. 


TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2017

Matinee Performance for Local Schools

Tuesday, March 14 from 10-11AM | Bardo Arts Center Performance Hall

The Nile Project is an incredible educational and performance opportunity for students as young as 3rd grade. 

The Nile Project Photo by Habi Girgis
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