Sari Alesh entertained a packed house at the Oaks Restaurant in a fundraiser for the Syrian refugee that raised more than $3,000.
The Syrian Refugee Benefit Concert Feb. 11 hosted a full-house of 100 audience members who joined their neighbours clapping rhythm behind Sarah Tradewell’s reels and jigs and Alesh’s haunting, Arabic tunes, says organizer Joe Blake.
A benefit for Alesh’s education, the event raised more than $3,200 from tickets, a silent auction and a mid-show glass vase-donation call.
The money will support a private scholarship for the onetime Syrian National Orchestra violinist’s English study at the Univeristy of Victoria in preparation for a music teaching career in Canada.
“Alesh is a masterful violinist, but like most local musicians he has to have a day-job to support his artistry,” Blake says.
“The show at The Oaks kicked-off with Tradewell’s folk fiddle soaring high above her mother Cheryl’s keyboard comping and climaxed with Alesh’s singing strings conjuring-up dark, desert sands and exotic Technicolor sunrises on a set of original compositions and folk tunes of his original homeland.”
With the imminent completion of his English course, Alesh hopes to enter music education at the University of Victoria this fall.
In the meantime, Alesh will also teach students from May to September. For more information, violin students can call 250-507-6781.