Bach’s Lunch Concert: Cesni Duo: A Fluid Score

Tev Stevig and Michael K. Harrist present a program of original modal music inspired by their experiences with the folk and classical music traditions of Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Levant, Iran, Afghanistan, and North India.

At turns romantic and elegant, vivacious and playful, the music of Çeşni Duo is grounded in the flavors (çeşniler) of Turkish makam music while remaining deeply personal and contemporary. The ensemble guides the listener from dove-tailing contemplative melodies to odd-metered tunes that throw caution to the wind. A well placed breath opens the ceiling, an evocative ornament opens the heart. Stevig and Harrist first met in Istanbul in 2010. Back home in Boston, MA they found themselves playing and studying Ottoman art music together in Orkestra Marhaba. A modal music tradition, Türk sanat müziği (Turkish art music) developed in the urban areas of the Ottoman Empire and has a history of over 500 years. The tradition includes a wide range of repertoire, composers, and practitioners. Çeşni Duo draws from this great tradition and the more modern stylings of contemporary musician-composers such as Erkan Oğur, Ross Daly, Murat Aydemir, and Efrén López.

The New York Music Daily calls Tev Stevig, “one of the world’s most brilliantly individualistic guitarists” and the Boston Globe says of his most recent solo release, “he initiates something new by connecting and combining seemingly disparate cultures.” Aside from the guitar, Tev specializes in plucked string instruments from around the world and leads the world-Americana duo Jeni Jol and his Balkan surf rock and spaghetti western group Ivo & the Wave Wranglers. Tev also appears regularly with The Late Risers, Klezwoods, Cordis, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica, and Orkestra Marhaba, amongst many others.

Michael K. Harrist is a musician and educator based in Watertown, MA. Michael performs and works with artists in a wide array of world traditions including Turkish art music, Hindustani music, Jazz, Western art music and American roots music. He has performed throughout North America, Europe and Turkey with various ensembles including Ameranouche, Cesni Trio, Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma, Sol & Kiel, and Capillary Action. Michael teaches workshops and private lessons in world music traditions, monophonic and polyphonic composition, and instrumental practice and performance.

Bach’s Lunch programs are free and open to the public, and take place from 12:10pm to 12:50pm on the first and second Thursdays of each month, October through June, in the Music School’s Recital Hall, 23 Wall Street, downtown Concord. No need to RSVP – just show up!

At this time, masks are optional in the building. Please visit our Covid webpage for more details on our safety protocols.

The Bach’s Lunch Series is sponsored by The Timothy and Abigail B. Walker Lecture Fund.