Arab American Producer Seeks to Bridge Cultures Through Music
BY: Ameera David/Contributing Writer
Arab American music producer Dawn Elder has a dream to build a cultural bridge between the Arab world and the West.
For one night only this November, those who enjoy listening to the mesmerizing beats of Arabic music are in for a delightful treat. “Sahra” (meaning a musical evening in Arabic) is presented both by Elder and President and CEO of MGM Grand Mr. Gamal Aziz, and it will showcase a wonderful array of Middle Eastern and North African performances. In addition to international superstars Khaled, Assala, and Rida Al Abdullah, there will be over 100 acclaimed musicians and dancers representing 12 countries.
“Sahra” is the brainchild of Elder, who is known to be a notable composer, producer, and director of over 1,000 cultural events. Elder’s inspiration for this particular event came many years ago when she attended a concert with her family for an Arabic singer. She says, “I just thought the whole show was poorly orchestrated. It had such an old-fashioned presentation, and I didn’t understand why it wasn’t produced at the same level of all the American concerts I had seen.” On her way home, she spent hours critiquing the event to her father, “I remember him telling me ‘Dawn, If you’re going to criticize, you have to do something about it.’” That was the spark that later materialized into “Sahra”.
In addition to her desire to produce an unprecedented Arabic concert, Elder sought to produce a show that would help dismantle the negative stereotypes surrounding Arabs. “Music has been the best weapon we have” she says. Elder truly believes it is important to use the arts as a way of humanizing the Arab people in a post 9/11 world. Yet in order to do so, she points out that we must unify, “We cannot work as ten different groups and truly expect to make change. If we join our efforts – the Arabs abroad and the Arabs right here in the US— we can make progress.”
It is for that reason that Elder has designed the concert to be a unification of sounds stemming from the Gulf, the Levant, North Africa, and even the United States. The show will feature Algerian born singer Khaled (formerly Cheb Khaled) who became an international sensation with his hit, “Didi” and is known more generally for his melodic North African rhythm. Elder says “He is someone that has truly crossed over every international border. His beats are just so fun and infectious!”
Joining him will be Syrian vocalist Assala, who is praised for her astute vocal abilities, as she is often compared to musical legends such as Fayrouz. The show will also host Rida Al Abdullah, who truly represents today’s voice of Iraq. Elder notes, “While he attracts the younger generation with his dance beats, he captivates an older following through the classical foundations of his writing style.” Other artists that are confirmed to perform are violin virtuoso Simon Shaheen and Lebanese flute master Bassam Saba.
Moreover, in light of International Children’s Day, 100% of the profits from “Sahra” will assist children’s charities serving the Middle East and North Africa. Funds will go directly to ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) and NAAMA Foundation (National Arab American Medical Association) whom will then distribute the money to populations in need.
Dawn Elder’s dream– with the support of the MGM and MIRAGE teams– will come to fruition on Saturday, November 21st at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Her mission is two-fold, first to create an understanding of Arab people through music and second, to benefit under privileged children who are looking for hope.