For the past six years, the New York City-based string quartet ETHEL and Native American storyteller/musician/luthier Robert Mirabal have collaborated on works inspired by ceremonies dedicated to the sun. Now, they’ve turned their attention to water as the embodiment of spirit and its crucial role in life with the cross-cultural concert experience, The River. A flow of music, narrative and ritual, the performance seeks to honor and evoke Native American traditions through contemporary musical approaches. Crafted in retreat at Mirabal’s home in the Taos Pueblo, each player brought original musical or poetic works, blending influences from Hawaii, Arizona and Mexico, plus South American, African and Asian countries. The River winds its way to Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center on Thursday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. $15 adults/$10 seniors and WCU faculty and staff/$5 students. arts.wcu.edu. Photo of Mirabal by Curry Images
Smart Bets: ETHEL + Robert Mirabal
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