a contemporary exploration of the shared roots of ancient Indian and Iraqi music
about the project
Born out of a collaboration between the India Center Foundation, Brooklyn Raga Massive, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Raga Maqam is a multimedia journey into the shared history of two cultures and traditions.
meet the artists
Iraqi-American composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Amir ElSaffar is creating new work for an ensemble featuring pioneering artists of Brooklyn Raga Massive and maqam virtuosos from around the world.
tune in live
Dive deeper into the music with illuminating virtual performances, conversations, and workshops. Follow the project’s evolution and get to know the band by exploring our video archives and interviews.
“Ultimately, we aren’t approaching this as “tradition meets tradition,” but rather as musicians meeting, having a musical conversation, an exploration, and in the moment just dealing with the sound, rather than saying “Where did this come from” or “What tradition does this belong to?”
— Amir ElSaffar, composer
Photos by Kevin Yatarola (header) and Ed Berger (above)