Ensembles of Afghanistan National Institute of Music

Ahmad Sarmast and the students of his groundbreaking, possibly life-saving Afghan cultural initiative pay their first visit to the U.S. with a three-city tour sponsored by the State Department. You'll hear ensembles specializing in Western classical music; groups that preserve a noble Afghan musical heritage; and distinguished collaborators, including violinist Mikhail Simonyan and conductor William Harvey, in traditional pieces by Vivaldi and Ravel.