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Hope: Musical unity and common human purpose
How can 'hope' be represented in music? Hope for what and for whom? For Mohammad Qambar Nawshad ‘hope’ is fundamental to human life and...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Jun 7, 20233 min read
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Baran: Music that goes through the body and into the heart
Re-reading the English translation of Mohammad Sharif Saiidi’s Baran, I find myself shivering again and again as I linger on each line...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Feb 8, 20233 min read
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Dawn: A torch in solidarity with the irrepressible women of Afghanistan
It is difficult to begin writing about Meena Karimi's composition Dawn without feeling a burn in my chest and a lump in my throat—it's...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Sep 20, 20224 min read
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Dance of Terror: A musical expression of tragic laughter?
The third piece on the Orchestral Music of Afghanistan: Looking Forward concert and the focus of this blog post, is Arson Fahim’s Dance...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Sep 9, 20223 min read
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Heart That Burns: Passion, sweetness and sorrow
Enrobed in an elegant waltz, Zalai Pakta's Heart That Burns encapsulates a poignancy and complexity of feeling: the sweetness and joy of...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Aug 29, 20222 min read
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Asta Boro: A timeless tribute to love
In my blog yesterday I said that I was going to write a series of blogs featuring each one of the compositions performed on the 'Looking...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Aug 23, 20222 min read
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Looking Forward: One for the history books
On 5 July 2022, an extraordinary event took place in London. Nine new compositions by Afghan composers were performed by the Oxford...

Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey
Aug 22, 20222 min read
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