Watar in a non-profit organization which serves to promote the beauty of Arabic music, poetry, and visual arts within the New York City community.
Our objective is to bridge gaps between diverse communities and to create a healing space through our unique musical programing. In partnering with Jazz Gallery, we will explore collaborations with New York’s greatest jazz musicians, encouraging them to explore working with Arabic musicians, microtones and rhythms.
Watar aims to achieve the highest quality performance and sound in their concerts and recordings, utilizing unique approaches to music and sound design.
Our board, consists of some of the city’s most accomplished musicians, sound designers and music producers. Watar aims to produce albums, workshops, concerts, and festivals highlighting Arabic culture and its unique ability to bring harmony between the diverse cultures and communities of the Arab world and New York.
Watar in Arabic means “musical string.”
Our goal is to bring diverse “strings” together to perform their unique musical traditions.
Our Team
Faraj Abyad: Founder
Maurice Chedid: Artistic Director
Board of Directors
John McCormick
Alexandre Tannous
Fiscal Sponsor
Jazz Gallery
Partnership with Jazz Gallery
Watar is proud to partner with Jazz Gallery serves as an international cultural center where the youngest generation of emerging professional jazz musicians are nurtured with opportunities to collaborate with their peers, discover and refine their creativity, and perform in front of eager audiences. We take pride in our world-renowned reputation as a key player in the NYC jazz community by sustaining a tradition of artistic excellence in jazz and fostering artistic growth, presenting both major and established figures in jazz alongside a younger generation of artists. Since 2002, The Gallery has also been actively engaged in commissioning new work by emerging composers, many of whom have gone on to be recognized with MacArthur Foundation “genius” grants, Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards, Grammy Awards and more. Twelve Thelonious Monk Competition winners got their start on our stage. Winner of the 2016, 2014 & 2010 CMA/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming, The Jazz Gallery has garnered a reputation as “the most imaginatively booked jazz club in New York” (NY Times).
Contribute to our initiative
Join us! You can support the creative work of Watar by making a tax-deductible donation through the Jazz Gallery, our fiscal sponsor.
In donation notes please indicate “Watar.”