Music in Central Asia has been shaped by the region’s millennia-old geocultural symbiosis between sedentary-dwellers and nomads (a.k.a. “mobile astoralists” in the lingo of anthropology). Nomads and sedentary-dwellers inhabit distinct and, to a large extent, strongly contrasting musical worlds, each with its own musical instruments, styles, repertoires, and sensibilities. Music making by women has been a vital part of both of these worlds. The musicians featured in this evening’s concert, with the exception of Aziza Davronova, who hails from the city of Bukhara, perform music rooted in the world of nomads.

 

Learn more about Bardic Divas: A Celebration of Women's Music Making in Central Asia.