New York Oud Festival Day Three

2pm, Friday, May 23, 2025

The Metropolitan Museum of Art – 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Gallery 681, The André Mertens Galleries for Musical Instruments

FREE with Museum admission

Immerse yourself in the oud (Middle Eastern lute) with a performance by Mavrothi Kontanis, accompanied by violinist Megan Gould. Then, enjoy a conversation with Kontanis, Gould, and luthier John Vergara followed by a Q & A. Be inspired by the oud, its musical history, and its artistic connections to The MET collection.

Free with Museum admission; admission is pay what you wish for New York state residents, and free for children under 12 with an adult, and a caregiver accompanying a visitor with a disability. Note: Space is limited; first come, first served. 

https://engage.metmuseum.org/events/education/performances/music/public-programs/fy25/a-musical-encounter-with-brooklyn-maqam/ 

Mavrothi Kontanis is an eternal student of music on a range of instruments and voice, focused especially on the older music of Greece and the Near East. Based in the US but with roots in Halkidiki, Greece, he is known better as a singer in some circles or a teacher in others, but feels most at home crafting a melody with an oud in his hands.  Mavrothi and violinist Megan Gould have selected a sampling of Greek, Near Eastern and original compositions for this concert. These songs lend themselves well to the blending of oud and violin, and include instrumental and vocal pieces.

John Vergara apprenticed under master luthier Joseph Regh before founding Lord of the Strings in 2009, a renowned instrument-making and repair shop in Beacon, NY. There, he crafted and restored Spanish guitars, violins, ouds, cuatros, kanuns, and more. In 2023, he launched Heritage Soundcraft Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the art of luthiery through workshops, courses, and demonstrations. John is passionate about teaching the craft to aspiring luthiers and continues his work today from his workshop in Lexington, North Carolina.