August 25, 2004 Sephardic Musical Group to Perform at the Library on Oct. 25

Due to illness in the family of members of the group, this concert has been canceled.

Los Pasharos Sefaradis will perform traditional Sephardic music at the Library of Congress at noon on Monday, Oct. 25, in the Pickford Theater on the third floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The event, which is sponsored jointly by the Near East Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division, the Hebrew Language Table, and the American Folklife Center, is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required but seating is limited.

Los Pasharos Sefaradis performs Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) music with an authentic flavor from Turkey. This style of music has been part of the cultural life of the most Sephardic Jews ever since they were exiled from Spain in 1492. However, only in the past few decades have musicians and ethnomusicologists discovered the musical treasures of the Turkish Sephardic community.

In addition to performing Sephardic music, Los Pasharos Sefaradis has made a commitment to researching, collecting and preserving this rich musical tradition. As a result, they have more than 400 songs in their active repertoire. The group has performed around the world in the United States, Mexico, France, England, Germany, Greece, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Israel. They have produced two cassettes and two CDs, which are on sale through the Shalom newspaper in Istanbul. To order, contact shalom@turk.net.