TAFAHUM and GINGKO come together on 20 June 2018 at 7.30pm at Wilton Hall, London, in a unique celebration of two centuries of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s West-Eastern Divan. The occasion will feature the world premiere of a new musical composition celebrating the launch of Gingko’s momentous NEW DIVAN project, the culmination of which will be a festival of music and poetry hosted in the UK by the Hay and Shubbak festivals in summer 2019 and in Germany by the Berlin-based Barenboim-Said Akademie in the autumn.

The concert will feature a new musical composition by the London-based TAFAHUM inspired by the Syrian poet Adonis’ especially commissioned contribution to the A NEW DIVAN, entitled Letter to Goethe. TAFAHUM brings together a team of professional musicians from countries including Canada, Syria, Japan and the UK. The programme will include new works especially composed for the evening and reworkings of pieces such as Samai Chromatic, Sufi Mood, Crossing Green and Wiladah.