Middle East Ensemble Performs at Westmont

The UC Santa Barbara Middle East Ensemble (MEE) will perform a diverse repertoire of Middle Eastern music and dances Wednesday, March 30, at 7 p.m. in Westmont’s Porter Theatre. The event is free and open to the public, though reservations are requested. For tickets or for more information, please contact Thomas Jayawardene, Westmont professor of sociology, at (805) 565-6783.

The ensemble, founded in 1989 by ethnomusicology professor Scott Marcus, is made up of students, faculty, musicians and dancers from the Santa Barbara community who perform colorful, fast-paced shows. Male performers wear tuxedos while women wear colorful traditional dresses, following traditions developed in Cairo, Beirut and Damascus.

Last July, the ensemble’s 52 members traveled to Egypt after being invited by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture to perform in Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor. The MEE has also given several concerts in the Los Angeles area, Sacramento, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.

The event is organized by the Westmont Sociology/Anthropology Department and sponsored by the Provost’s Office, Westmont in the Arts and Intercultural Programs.