LIVE CONCERT: RAHIMA MAHMUT & THE MIRAS SILK ROAD COLLECTIVE

Miras Silk Road Collective presents: Heritage of the Heart — Songs of Longing and Belonging A one-hour concert in Screen 1 followed by a reception in The Lounge. From the heart of Central Asia flows a living tradition — rich, ancient, and unbroken. The Uyghur Muqam, recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of intangible heritage, is both a spiritual journey and the beating pulse of a people who have carried their culture across centuries. This concert offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the depth and beauty of Uyghur musical heritage first-hand. Led by the evocative vocals of Rahima Mahmut, Miras Silk Road Collective brings this heritage to life through the poetry of longing and devotion — timeless verses by great masters such as Fuzuli and Nava’i, and the voices of unnamed lovers whose hearts still burn in silence: <i>Ask the true cost of separation from those whose nights are lit by sorrow. Oh my Muqam — my heritage, my eternal spring…</i> In exile, music becomes memory — and defiance. Song becomes a homeland the world cannot erase. Through the enchanting sounds of dutar, tambur, ghijek, baghlama saz, and daf (frame drum), we honour resilience and the unbreakable thread that binds us to our ancestors. This is the power of art in exile: the act of remembering becomes both resistance and celebration. Let the music carry you across deserts, mountains, oases, and star-lit nights… to where the heart remembers its way home. The Miras Silk Road Collective (formerly the London Uyghur Ensemble), founded in 2018, is dedicated to preserving and showcasing Uyghur musical traditions while fostering collaboration among musicians from cultures across the Silk Road. The Collective performs classical maqam, folk songs, and instrumental pieces on traditional instruments, exploring music from Uyghur, Turkish, Azeri, Uzbek, and Iranian traditions, celebrating their shared heritage and the rich diversity of the region’s musical culture. Rahima Mahmut (vocalist), the Collective’s lead singer, comes from a large Uyghur family with a rich musical heritage, which she has passionately preserved in exile in the UK. A composer and performer, Rahima sets the poems of persecuted Uyghur writers to music, and her work has been featured in international news documentaries highlighting her people’s plight. She has toured internationally with the Collective across Europe, the UK, the US, and Turkey, sharing Uyghur muqam and folk traditions. In an era of cultural erasure, Rahima and the Miras Silk Road Collective are dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and defending the rich musical culture of the Uyghur people. Ahmet Ozan Baysal, a master Turkish bağlama (saz) player, composer, and performer, is celebrated for his virtuosity in the şelpe technique. He has performed internationally at leading festivals, including Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Nuoro Jazz Festival, and the UK’s Making Tracks International Music Exchange. His acclaimed debut album Tel ve Ten (String and Skin) blends Anatolian traditions with jazz and contemporary influences. As a core musician with the Miras Silk Road Collective, Ozan brings his artistry to Anatolian music as well as Uyghur muqam and folk repertoire, combining heritage with innovation, and has toured internationally with the ensemble in Europe, the UK, the US, and Turkey. Dilzat Turdi (Vocal & Daf), a London-based Uyghur singer and musician, studied Music, Sound, and Technology at City, University of London. He performs folk, pop, and classical muqam, accompanying himself on the traditional dap. Currently studying the Uyghur Twelve Muqam, Dilzat is a vital member of the Miras Silk Road Collective, performing and preserving Uyghur musical traditions on international tours in Europe, the UK, the US, and Turkey. Li Cheong (Ghijek) was born in Macau and raised in Hong Kong. He studied music at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and later earned a PhD in Music Composition from the University of York. Based in London, he works as a music instructor and performs ghijek (Uyghur spike fiddle) with the Miras Silk Road Collective. Kamil Abbas (Tambur & Rawap) has played Uyghur traditional instruments since childhood. He worked for many years as a professional musician for the Uyghur Opera Arts troupe in the Uyghur homeland. After settling in the Netherlands, he established the Uyghur group “Meshrep” with his wife Gulendem Abbas, and they toured extensively in Europe. He has worked on a wide range of collaborations and new projects across Europe, including the Belgian “Floe-Floe” puppet theatre. He is a member of the European Uyghur Ensemble, and a regular collaborator with the Miras Silk Road Collective. Doors: 2:30pm Concert: 2:45pm-3:45pm Reception: 3:45pm-6:00pm Etles Uyghur Restaurant (as seen on BBC Foof Chain) will be catering the reception in The Lounge.PT4H12ALIVE CONCERT: RAHIMA MAHMUT & THE MIRAS SILK ROAD COLLECTIVE"LIVE CONCERT: RAHIMA MAHMUT & THE MIRAS SILK ROAD COLLECTIVE"

Showtimes

January 25, 2:30 pm

ActOne Cinema - Independent Crowdfunded Community Cinema