Concert SeriesConcert SeriesCircling voices: Colombian song with MontaneraDescriptionWednesday 29th April, 2026 BGLT, SOAS Gallery Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start (see below for workshop timings) María Mónica Gutiérrez, known as Montañera (Mountainess), has established herself as one of the most intense and unique voices hailing from Colombia. Her latest solo album A Flor De Piel was released in November of 2023 via the Austin, Tx-based label, Western Vinyl, with the support from Help Musicians Foundation. It has received glowing reviews from Pitchfork, The Guardian, Iggy Pop (BBC Radio), David Byrne, amongst many others. Her previous solo albums Encarnación (2017) and Salvadora (2020) have both received Honourable Mention by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia, and she is a Marca Colombia Artist. This evening at SOAS, as part of La Linea Festival 2026 will be a sonic immersion, where, from 7.30-8pm, audience members are invited to participate in collective exercises, using singing as a tool for social healing. Join us at 7.30pm if you would like to participate in or observe this workshop, or from 8pm if you prefer only to hear the concert. Both parts of the evening will take place in the BGLT.
Music and Dance from Bukhara: Spiritual heartland of Central AsiaDescriptionFriday 27 February, 2026 Doors and bar open 7pm for an 7.30pm start. Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre (BGLT) Ilyos Arabov, born in the ancient city of Bukhara and now recognised one of the finest musicians in Uzbekistan, leads this internationally acclaimed ensemble in a programme of Shashmaqom (the music nurtured in the court of the Emir of Bukhara) and songs for celebrations and for dancing, performed by the brilliant Dilorom. The programme moves seamlessly between the Turkic and Persianate heritage of these gorgeous and sophisticated musical repertoires. Supported by the Maqām Beyond Nation project at SOAS. The Ilyos Arabov Ensemble consists of Ilyos Arabov, Farangiz Makhmudova, Vosidjon Mahmudov and Nasimkhon Muzaffarov accompanied by the prominent dancer Dilorom Madrakhimova. This is event is being co-produced with Nava Arts. Please buy your tickets from Nava Arts' website unless you are a student, in which case you can use the links below.
Suzumeno TearsDescriptionSuzumeno Tears - Sparrow's Arrows Fly so High Wednesday 25th March 2026 Doors and bar open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start Join us for a folk fusion evening with Suzumeno Tears bringing a new sound to traditional Japanese folk music through their unique blend of Goshu Ondo, a song from Japan’s Kansai region, with Balkan polyphonic singing and influences from Japan, Bulgaria, Brazil, and the UK. Suzumeno tears is formed by Agatha and Miyuki Sato, who fuse their diverse musical knowledge for a special interpretation of Minyo, Japanese folk songs featuring Brazilian guitar rhythms and the Bulgarian kaval flute.
Warsi Brothers: A Night of QawwaliDescriptionWednesday 15 April, 2026 Doors and bar open 7pm for 7.30pm concert Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre (BGLT) The Warsi Brothers are widely regarded as among the finest living custodians of traditional qawwali in the subcontinent. Trained under their grandfather Padma Shri Aziz Ahmad Khan Warsi, they represent the classical rigour and devotional depth of the Delhi Gharana. Based in Hyderabad, their family has long served as court musicians for the erstwhile Nizam. Honoured at the prestigious Aga Khan Music Awards 2025, the jury recognised the brothers for their “energetic preservation and onward transmission of the spiritual and musical legacy of Amir Khusrau to multigenerational audiences at the highest level of musical excellence.” Whether you're a qawwali afficionado or this is your first ever taste of this extraordinary uplifting South Asian genre of vocal music, do not miss this incredibly special evening, organised in collaboration with SAMA Arts Network.
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