Alim Qasimov Ensemble & Kronos Quartet

“To be a musician, there has to be a fire burning in you,” Alim Qasimov has said, and it’s evident that his musical flame burns brightly.
Beloved in his home country of Azerbaijan and lauded by the New York Times as one of the world’s best vocalists, Qasimov has shared his love of Azerbaijani mugham music with audiences worldwide.

A vocal-instrumental folk style with polyphonic elements, mugham includes among its vast array of styles gentle lullabies, ecstatic and fiery love songs and even tunes that evoke war chants.

Kronos Quartet will collaborate with Alim Qasimov and his ensemble as they introduce our audiences to this ancient but ever-evolving musical form, with its exquisitely disciplined balance between memorization and improvisation, revealed through passionate performance.