The Bil Afrah Project celebrates one of the Middle East’s legendary albums: Ziad Rahbani’s Bil Afrah. The instrumental song suite recorded by Rahbani’s ensemble in 1975, including Michel Merhej, features some of the Arab world’s most beloved standards, as well as the dazzling taqasim (improvisations) for which the Arabic tradition is well-known. This concert is a rare opportunity to hear the Bil Afrah suite performed in its totality, live and in sequence featuring violins, bass, qanun (zither), oud (fretless lute), buzuq (fretted lute), and Arabic percussion.