Bringing Morocco to WUSTL

Morocco’s renowned Abdellah el Miry Trio visited campus Dec. 6 to perform and engage in an Arabic-language question-and-answer session with students in a course taught by Younasse Tarbouni, a lecturer in Arabic language studies in Arts & Sciences. The goal of the appearance was to expose students to artistic and cultural facets of life in an Arabic culture. The performance, featuring (from left) Abdellah el Miry on violin, Nasser Houari on lute and Abdellah Akachour on percussion, was arranged by the recently opened St. Louis office of American Voices, a nonprofit group that conducts cultural diplomacy to countries emerging from conflict or isolation. The U.S. Embassy in Morocco is sponsoring the musical trio’s visit to America as a cross-cultural exchange aimed at helping the Abdellah el Miry Trio to learn American bluegrass. The trio is making appearances and conducting musical workshops in both St. Louis and New York.