MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM

October Music

Music at the Museum

Friday, October 2
6-8pm
Free Concert For All

Folk, soul, pop, electronica, rock, hip-hop, and jazz, are just some of the genres you might hear a MUSIC AT THE MUSUEM event. Hear local musicians play a two-hour set.

Upcoming: Makam Healing Project

Makam Healing Project explores the rich tradition of Turkish Ottoman modal music, where the makam system shaped musical expression and listening practices for centuries. Historically transmitted through oral tradition, these melodies preserve a sonic language that predates modern notation and electronic sound technologies, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a soundscape that has remained alive across generations.

In dialogue with Vanishing Ecologies: Speculative Futures, the program invites listeners to reflect on how our acoustic environment and ways of listening have evolved over time. By bringing centuries-old makams into the present, we create a bridge between past and future—exploring what cultural soundscapes endure, what disappears, and what can be renewed through shared musical experience.

The performance includes an interactive component in which audience members are invited to sing simple modal phrases together. Through collective listening and participation, we aim to create a contemplative and restorative atmosphere inspired by the historical role of makam music in supporting emotional well-being and human connection.

Performers

Volkan Efe — oud, kanun, tanbur, bendir, voice

Theresa Thompson — violin, rebab, bendir

Mithat Yavuzarslan — ney, kemençe, oud

This program is supported in part by a grant from the New Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.