Concert History- "The Poetry of Peace, Spiritual Music of the MIddle East"

Shalhevet Productions held it’s inaugural production October 24th, 1999 with the presentation of "The Poetry of Peace, Spiritual Music of the Middle East." Held at the historic Boulder Theater, the concert featured Turkish/ Egyptian virtuoso Omar Faruk Tekbilek with his ensemble, and the Jewish world music group Davka. The event was produced in conjunction with the Dalai Lama’s World Festival of Sacred Music, in coordination with Gate Productions.

The concert wonderfully represented Sheldon Sands’ vision upon founding Shalhevet Productions: that of presenting unique and outstanding musical/cultural performances, while helping to promote peace and understanding between diverse peoples. A phenomenal concert, the event also raised a significant donation to Turkish Earthquake relief through the Red Cross and disseminated information about organizations working towards issues of Middle East peace.

Additional benefit came to the community through presentations by our guest artists, with Omar Faruk Tekbilek teaching a public workshop at the University of Colorado on Middle Eastern music, and Davka performing a concert for children at the Rabin Academy (Jewish day school) in Boulder. Media sponsorship/collaborations with the Boulder Weekly and KGNU community radio, assisted us tremendously in publicizing the event.


"The Omar Faruk Tekbilek concert was for me one of the best concerts I have seen during my life. I was totally blown away by his music. If I had to pick a high point, it would be that slow and beautiful Egyptian piece, followed by the Palestinian piece where he was playing some kind of horn. The Palestinian piece simply brought me waves of sheer joy. " -Concert attendee

Sheldon with Omar Faruk Tekbilek

"During my 7 month artistic residency in Israel I had the chance to meet and also record with some outstanding Israeli musicians, both Arabic and Jewish. The high degree of artistic collaboration, both historically and in the present day between these 2 groups of people is quite amazing, and something we hear little about in the West. This music is remarkable and speaks of a depth, of joy and of pain so becoming to that region. ...Yet it is the HOPE that I hear traveling through the notes that inspires wanting to bring this music back home to reach many, many more people..." -Sheldon Sands