Life In Concert

For the latest edition of Nora's series Life In Concert – in which she invites musicians who inspire her not only through their music, but also as people – she shares the stage with two very special musicians: Lebanese violinist Layale Chaker, and Palestinian Ud-player Nizar Rohana. Grab this opportunity, because Layale will only be in The Netherlands for a short period of time, in which she can be heard twice in Splendor: with her own trio on April 15th, and tonight with Nora and Nizar. And Layale's band members Phillip Golub and John Hadfield will also join this evening!

For her Life In Concert series, Nora searches for connection with her fellow musicians not only through their music, but also through sharing personal stories and inner worlds, resulting in an intimate concert where the audience can meet these inspiring people through both their music and their words. Born in Paris but raised in Lebanon from the age of 6, composer and violinist Layale Chaker was raised speaking multiple languages, both linguistically and musically. Her complex sound universe, described by NPR as “beguiling” with “bright and beautiful strands… gorgeous, wine-dark swirls,” lies at the intersection of classical contemporary music, jazz, Arabic music, and improvisation.

A 2020-2022 Jerome Hill Fellow, Chaker is also recipient of the 2022 Opera America Discovery 2022 Award, among many other accolades. Several months ago, the New York Philharmonic presented the world premiere of her double concerto Dawning, alongside Kinan Azmeh, for clarinet, violin and orchestra. Layale has appeared as a soloist, performer, improviser and composer in concerts, recitals and projects around Europe, the Middle-East, North and South America and Asia, with collaborations and commissions with Oxford Orchestra, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Holland Baroque, Babylon Orchestra, Avignon Festival, Lucerne Festival, National Sawdust, London Jazz Festival, Wigmore Hall, and New World Symphony among others. She is also the founder and leader of the chamber jazz quintet Sarafand, of which several members will be playing in Splendor on April 15th.

Palestinian musician Nizar Rohana (now based in Utrecht, The Netherlands) has developed a unique voice in the ud world. He is distinguished for combining virtuosity within fresh contemporary compositions while maintaining the ud’s authentic language. Rohana was born in the village of 'Isifya on Mount Carmel near Haifa city to a father who played ud in communal celebrations and a mother who accompanied him on percussion. From a young age, Rohana played music, picking up the ud when he was 13. Following extensive studies in ud performance, composition, and musicology, Rohana immersed himself in developing contemporary ud compositions, taking inspiration from the practices of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Brahms all the way to Tanburi Cemil Bey, Kemani Tatyus Efendi, Muhammad Al-Qasabji and Muhammad Abdel Wahab. As a performer, Rohana’s wide stage experience as a soloist and within groups encompasses playing traditional, modern, experimental, and world music. During the last fifteen years, he performed in countries such as Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and in the USA and Europe.

Nizar Rohana - ud
Nora Fischer - vocals
Layale Chaker - violin
Phillip Golub - piano
John Hadfield - drums