Under the Olive Tree – A concert of Arabic and Jewish Music in Melbourne

Ethnic and political divisions in the Middle East can be mirrored in the local communities in Melbourne and can influence the way people perceive cultures other than their own. In greater Melbourne, there also tends to be a geographical distance between the Jewish and Arabic communities which can lead people to trust the media without trying to reach over and meet the human being across the invisible fence. We believe new bridges can be built here in Australia that may reflect back to the Middle East and help heal those long lasting conflicts. “Under the Olive Tree” will give a rare opportunity for people of Arabic and Jewish background to share their own cultures as well explore and familiarise themselves with other cultures. 

“Under the Olive Tree” is a concert performed by Jewish and Arabic musicians, to be held at The Melbourne Immigration Museum on 6thNovember 2016. It will take listeners on a meandering journey of sound through traditional melismatic tunes to contemporary alt-Jazz with Adam Starr and Noam Sendor. The oud and the ney (Arabic flute) will underpin the afternoon, but Adi Sappir’s cello and Adam’s contemporary guitar offer a broader palette of sound.

This concert is the initiative of Adi Sappir – an Israeli-Australian musician – in collaboration with The Boite, the participating musicians and their communities and Melbourne’s Immigration Museum which has generously contributed its Long Room for this event.

For Adi, November 6th will mean the realisation of a long held dream, and a great deal of work. Two years in the planning, she sees it a as pilot which could lead to new networks and further events. The support of the Immigration Museum and a grant from Creative Victoria have made this concert possible.