Al-Bustan Concert: Crossing Genres 2

Al-Bustan is pleased to present Crossing Genres, featuring influences of classical, jazz, and Arab music, with

original compositions and arrangements of classical Arab music.

We are grateful for the support of PNC Arts Alive and William Penn Foundation in making this concert possible.

Serge El Helou

Serge El Helou was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He began playing guitar, piano, and percussion at an early age. While pursuing his degree in Musicology in Lebanon, he had the privilege to learn harmony and composition with renowned composer Toufic Succar. In 2003, he pursued his musical career in Paris at René Descartes University where he earned another degree in Music Therapy and received his Orchestration degree from Boulogne Billancourt Conservatory, France. El Helou also received a Master’s degree in music therapy in the U.S. In addition to many years of experience in teaching music and working as a choir director with Al-Bustan, El Helou composes music for children plays, short films, and documentaries. Several of his compositions where recently performed by chamber orchestras in Philadelphia and New York.

Jay Fluellen

Jay Fluellen, D. M. A. is a Philadelphia born musician known as a composer, college professor, educator, accompanist, pianist, singer, and organist/choir director. He has a doctorate in music composition from Temple University in addition to his certification in music from Eastern University. Dr. Fluellen is currently a teacher with the School District of Philadelphia at Northeast High School. He has taught college level courses in the fields of music composition, written and aural theory, music history, piano, and conducting at various local institutions. Since 1997, he has been an organist/choir director at the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas.

Hafez Kotain

Hafez Kotain is a master percussionist fluent in both Arab and Latin rhythms–a fluency he honed in his native countries of Syria and Venezuela. In 2013 he received a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, a prestigious award given to Philadelphia artists of exemplary talent. Born in Venezuela of Syrian heritage, he grew up in Syria until the age of 16 years. He began playing the doumbek at the age of seven years, made his first stage performance at nine years, and went on to study with master Syrian percussionist Hady Jazan, winning the national percussion competitions in Syria for five consecutive years. In Venezuela he studied percussion at the TMV Institute for Music in Valencia, where he also taught middle and high school students for several years a variety of percussion styles blending Arab and Latino music. Kotian has toured with Syrian singer George Wassouf in Canada and the US; and has performed in Philadelphia with acclaimed artist Sting and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Kotain teaches percussion classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and throughout the year he is a master teaching artist with Al-Bustan at Philadelphia public schools, Al-Bustan Camp, and various community-based programs.