_{2008 at a Glance:}

_{God's Blessings beyond Description...
Our apologies for our difficulty updating this page during 2008...}

_{We have been extremely overwhelmed & will try our best for this 2009 new year.
In the mean time, here is a brief summary of what happened in 2008...}

_{Preparing for the premiere of the
"Suite Concertante for solo-World Woodwinds & Symphony Orchestra",
to be performed in Caracas, Venezuela on Feb 8th, 2009:}

_{…Under the baton of conducting wiz-phenomenon Gustavo Dudamel & El Sistema's "Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra 'B' "...
By the grace of God, I composed this 12-mouvement, 40+ mins. long piece throughout the year.
The piece is an answer to Mtro. Dudamel's request "for us to do something together" when we met back in Nov 2007 in Los Angeles.}

_{It is directly influenced by many different music cultures of the World, like India, Mid. East/North-Africa, Armenia/Eastern Europe, Spain/Europe,
the South-American Andes & Venezuela, & I use around 21 solo different World wind-instruments,}

_{I have never been so challenged--and thrilled!--as a composer/creative performer before in my life...}

_{...Below I am showing Mtro. Dudamel the piece at his Los Angeles Phil/Disney Hall office...}

_{Recording in “The Cove”, NYC – Dec 19th-22nd 2008}

_{On an amazing documentary denouncing cruelty & senselessness…
this is my first time working with Josh Ralph who flew me to NYC for this project…}

_{In Beirut, Lebanon, for the first time:
Solo Christmas Concert For The Middle Eastern Bible Society, Beirut, Lebanon
[Dec 13th 2008]}

_{This was an extraordinary experience organized by brother Mike Bassous, head of the Bible Society-Lebanon,
held at the prestigious “Palais de L’UNESCO” [the biggest concert-hall in the city]}

_{As I said at the beginning of the event, many ‘firsts’ happened that night: it was my first visit & concert in Beirut,
a first whole 2-hour /no-intermission solo Christmas concert, while performing music from western clasical masters like J.S. Bach,
to world music & Hymn selections from my last two solo-CDs, & re-arranged Christmas Carols
[including audience participation on my newly composed piece “Christmas in Beirut”]}

_{…while adressing/witnessing-to the audience in English & French, plus three interactive performances with clips from
“The Passion Of The Christ” film…}

_{I performed solo [with tracks], as well as many pieces with my musical brother--& Mid. Eastern master percussionist-- Nasser Salameh,
plus two pieces with wiz-piano powerhoue Marc Diab…}

_{I had the priviledge of sharing my faith in Christ through music & the word,
as well as in two different TV stations,}

_{one of which [‘Téle-LUMIERE”] video-taped the concert & will broadcast it all over the Mid. East…}

_{ALL GLORY BE TO GOD WHO SENT HIS SON IN RAMSON FOR ALL OF HUMANITY!}

_{In Yerevan, Armenia, for the first time:
As a soloist-guest to the 80th Birthday Concert Celebration of Mtro. Jivan Gasparyan
[Organized by Dr. Garik Jan & his beautiful team]:}

 
_{...With Zuchero, Maestro Jivan Jan, and Andreas Vollenveider...}

_{...I also met Peter Gabriel there...}

_{Solo Concert in Venezuela…   1st time in 23 years!!}

_{I had the hinor of performing the C. Nielsen “Concerto for Flute & Orch.”
with the “Simon Bolivar” Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Christian Vazquez, as part of the
“2nd. Caracas International Flute Festival”}

_{Also, I had the priviledge of seating with the Orchestra on her
30th anniversary Concert-Celebration playing under the baton of maestro Gustavo Dudamel, at the Aula Magna of the UCV…
[I was a founder of the orchestra in 1978…]}

   _{With Zade Dirani in "One Night In Jordan"}

_{An amazing concert PBS-event organized by Mr. Danny O'Donovan, with brothers & friends Ramon Stagnaro, Walter Rodriguez,
Nasser Salameh, John Peña, John Robinson [JR}, Mike Thompson, Karen Briggs, Charlie Bisharat, Lilit,
The London Royal Philharmonic conducted by Ashley Irwin, among many other…}

_{...In Tunisia for the third consecutive year...}

<sub>I had the blessing of playing again within the CARTHAGE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2008,
as a guest soloist for my friend, an Arabic music teacher, Mtro. Riadh Fehri, in his latest project AWTAR TONIK.

I had the honor of being the first foreigner to play the Mezoued [an ancient traditional Tunisian 2ble clarinet] in concert...
It was a short solo prepared by my teacher, the exceptional Mustapha Ben Romdhane.

Like always, I I had more lessons with my Arabic Ney [trad. oblique flute] teacher, Dr. Nabil Abdmoulleh... an amazing blessing!</sub>

_{The Tale Of Despereaux}

_{Body of Lies}

_{Indiana Jones 4}

_{Kung Fu Panda}

_{The Stoning Of Soraya M.}

_{Don’t Mess With The ZOHAN}

The MUMMY 3

Blizzard’s “Warcraft”

  Disney’s Imagineering

The Simpsons

  CSI Miami

_{With GOOGOOSH in…}

_{Dubai, Foxwoods, Nokia Theater, Los Angeles…}

_{With Mtro. Ardeshir Rohanni
[Iranian-Classical Piano Virtuoso/Composer] & his son Aria…}

_{[pics by parstimes2008]}

_OTHER:

_{...A meeting of Musicionaries...
With my dearest brothers Paul Z. Livingstone & Rev. Dr. Kandukuri Benny Prasad}