Derek Gripper & Rahim AlHaj at NY Guitar Festival 2025
A Historic Duo Performance Bridging Continents
New York City – Experience an unprecedented musical dialogue between continents at the New York Guitar Festival 2025. South African guitar innovator Derek Gripper and Iraqi-American oud master Rahim AlHaj will join forces for their debut duo performance on Thursday, June 26 at 8:00 PM at Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center (129 West 67th Street, Manhattan). Tickets are $45 and available through the Kaufman Music Center box office at (212) 545-7536.
A Meeting of Ancestral Instruments
This concert is a profound “musical family affair.” It pairs the oud—the ancient fretless lute and ancestor of the guitar—with its modern descendant. AlHaj’s mastery of Arab classical traditions intertwines with Gripper’s revolutionary classical guitar techniques. Together, they create a cross-cultural soundscape bridging Africa, the Middle East, and the West.
The Artists: Global String Revolutionaries
Derek Gripper
Hailed for “rewriting the narrative of classical guitar,” this South African virtuoso stuns audiences by adapting complex West African kora music to a 6-string guitar. His technique has earned praise from legends like John Williams, who called it “absolutely impossible until I heard Derek Gripper do it.” His performance will include a tribute to the late Malian kora icon Toumani Diabaté.
Rahim AlHaj
An Iraqi-born, Albuquerque-based oud virtuoso and NEA National Heritage Fellow, AlHaj blends Mesopotamian musical traditions with contemporary Western influences. A powerful advocate for peace, his compositions reflect themes of exile, heritage, and humanity. He has collaborated with artists like Native American poet Joy Harjo.
Why This Concert is Unmissable
- World Premiere Collaboration: 2025 marks the first time these globally renowned musicians share the stage.
- NY Guitar Festival Legacy: The festival continues its 26-year tradition at its founding venue, Merkin Hall, featuring artists who redefine the guitar’s possibilities.
- Cultural Synthesis: Witness a fusion of African kora melodies, Arab maqam scales, European classical structures, and improvisation.
- Critical Acclaim: Fans describe Gripper’s performances as “transportational” and “mesmerizing,” while AlHaj delivers “deeply emotional” artistry.
Event Details
🗓 Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM (Doors at 7:30 PM)
🏟 Venue: Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center
📍 Address: 129 West 67th Street, Manhattan, NYC
🎟 Tickets: $45
📞 Box Office: (212) 545-7536
🔗 Book Online: Kaufman Music Center Tickets
🎸 Festival: Part of the New York Guitar Festival 2025, co-presented by World Music Institute
Don’t Miss This Historic Convergence
“Gripper’s playing really takes me to a special place… African music at its best!” – Fan Review
Secure your tickets today for an evening of unparalleled global string dialogue, where the ancient oud meets the modern guitar in one of NYC’s premier world music events.