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UID:33879@arabamerica.com
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250301T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250301T210000
DTSTAMP:20241230T003330Z
URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/at-tahajjud-the-night-vigil-compose
 d-by-preben-antonsen/
SUMMARY:At-Tahajjud (The Night-Vigil)\, composed by Preben Antonsen
DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt-Tahajjud (The Night-Vigil) is a special ev
 ent composed by Preben Antonsen. Join us at the First Congregational Churc
 h of Los Angeles for a night of spiritual reflection and connection. This 
 event is a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of the night-vigil 
 tradition. Don't miss out on this chance to deepen your spiritual practice
  and find peace in the tranquility of the night. Come and join us for an u
 nforgettable experience!\n\nThe featured women are: Habiba al-‘Adawiyya\
 , early 9th century\; Rayhana al-Majnuna\, from Basra\, 8th century\; Rabi
 a al-‘Adawiyya\, from Basra\, 8th century\; Rabia Bint Isma’il\, from 
 Syria\; Sha'wana\, from al-Ubulla\, 8th century\; Hind Bint al Muhallab\, 
 from Basra\, 9th century\; Dhakkara\, early 9th century\; Aisha of Merv\; 
 Fatima al Barda’iyya\, from Arbadil\, in Azerbaijan\, 10th century\; and
  Athama\, daughter of Bilal Ibn Abi ad Darda\, blind\, 8th century.The per
 formance will present 2 songs approximately 40 minutes.\n\nThe first half 
 thematically focuses on spiritual struggle\, weeping and ecstasy. The arde
 nt prayers evoke the trope in Arabic poetry of “love majnun\,” or love
 -madness (as seen in Rayhana’s epithet “al-Majnuna”). This is combin
 ed with another trope\, that of the Beloved being far away. As Rayhana say
 s\, “My yearning is endless! When will I finally meet you?” The second
  half pertains to divine insight and knowledge — for example\, Fatima di
 scusses the theology and practice of divine remembrance\, while Aisha expl
 ains the relationship between soul\, spirit\, intellect\, and heart. Most 
 of the songs address God\, but some take the form of advice and encouragem
 ent to other practitioners.\n\nThe midpoint of the cycle\, with words by D
 hakkara\, is a recipe for enlightenment\, using a pastry recipe as an exte
 nded metaphor (“Take the sugar of the divine gift\, the starch of purity
 \, the water of modesty\, the butter of self-awareness\, and the saffron o
 f recompense\, and strain them in the sieves of fear and hope….”).\n\n
 \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPreben Antonsen (b. 1991) grew up in Berkeley\, Ca
 lifornia and graduated from Yale College in 2013\, majoring in music and c
 omputer science. He has been composing since he was a small child\, and st
 udied composition with John Adams from 2001-2009. From 2015-2020\, Preben 
 served as co-director and pianist of the San Francisco-based new music ens
 emble After Everything\, which performs older music such as Bach\, Ravel\,
  and Stravinsky alongside Grisey\, Crumb\, Saariaho\, Rautavaara\, Harriso
 n\, Lindberg\, Wolfe\, Eastman\, and the like. After Everything has also p
 remiered three of his works\, Instruments of Straw for string orchestra\, 
 A Basil Tale for soprano and mixed ensemble\, and Voices from the Nettle-P
 ath for eight double basses. In 2017\, Symphony Parnassus premiered his or
 chestral work What Wondrous Love\, and chose him as their composer in resi
 dence for the 2018-2019 season\, commissioning an additional work\, Arthur
  Machen’s Childhood\, premiered in June 2019. In August 2019 he was feat
 ured at the Cabrillo Music Festival in Santa Cruz\, California\, with Cris
 tian Măcelaru conducting the premiere of Psalm Without Words. Preben has 
 also worked with virtuoso piano duo Christina and Michelle Naughton on two
  transcriptions of Adams’ music — Roll Over Beethoven and Short Ride i
 n a Fast Machine. Both are featured on their CD “American Postcard.” H
 is arrangement of Short Ride has also been performed in Finland by Risto-M
 atti Marin and Emil Holmström. In 2024\, Preben received a master’s deg
 ree from the Sibelius Academy\, studying with Juhani Nuorvala and Veli-Mat
 ti Puumala.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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 212-213056.jpeg
LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Los Angeles\, 540 South Commonwealt
 h Avenue\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90020\, United States
GEO:34.064317;-118.285185
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=540 South Commonwealth Aven
 ue\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90020\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=F
 irst Congregational Church of Los Angeles:geo:34.064317,-118.285185
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DTSTART:20241103T010000
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