Banda Tarjama Rehearsal Zoom Link

Click here for Zoom

Banda Tarjama

Tarjama means “Translation” in Arabic, Turkish, farsi and Hebrew.

We play authentic global dance music for concerts, parties, weddings, celebrations of life, and workshops.

Mission: Tarjama Ensemble bridges global dance music traditions with contemporary performance practices to elevate and celebrate our artists, audiences, and communities

Vision: Counter loneliness and depression with project based, interactive. multi-generational community programs.

Banda Tarjama In Action

Before Tarjama there was The Sherefe Big Band in Boulder Colorado

Poster for World Music Weekend 2025 by Bula

Commissioned poster by Fat Crow Press, Las Vegas, NM

Banda Tarjama with Nabin Shrestha and Mina Akbari, Boulder Colorado

Overlapping personnel with Klezmerize, Evergreen, CO

Dimtri Pappas leads United World College students in Las Vegas, NM

With Deborah Newberg, Santa Fe, NM

Hip Hop artist Legendari at his Senior Recital at HU, Las Vegas, NM

With David Taylor Zikr Dance Company workshop with gank dancer, Zac Bigbee

Tarjama multi talented Arthur

Private shindig at the Mercury Cafe, Denver CO

With Azra Sings band

Galata Milanesi Istanbul, Turkey

Ottoman era music ensemble Istanbul 2025

Trio Istanbul

Beautiful Asian Steppes handicraft Istanbul

Busking in Istanbul with Ugur

Tarjama at Mercury Cafe

Tarjama in Aurora, Colorado

Baer McKinnon rhythm workshops

With Dr. Dianne Layden at New Mexico Jewish History Society

Circus Luminos, Santa Fe NM

Tarjama at Yo Yo Ma's R is for Refugee event at People's Building, Aurora, Colorado

Overlapping personnel in Barblefish, Boulder Colorado

Catrene Malshey's family at 2nd Home Senior Center, Aurora Colorado

World Music Outreach with Denver Ballet Company

Mina Akbari, Bahai poet

Tarjama Percussionist Nabin Shrestha

Nabin Shrestha Meg York, special guest Bijay Shrestha Photo Lisa Siciliano

Tarjama Special Guest Artist: Bijay Shrestha

Tarjama Special Guest: Bijay Shrestha Photo Lisa Siciliano

Tarjama Special Guest Bijay Shrestha

Tarjama Ensemble Vocalist Meagan Chandler

Tarjama Special Guest, Sabe Kemmer, Ethiopian Dance

Tarjama Ensemble

Tarjama Ensemble, Faisal Zedan

Tarjama Bassist, Pete Jacobs

Tarjama at Tarab Retreat Boulder, Colorado

Tarjama at International Clarinet Association Conference

Tarjama at International Clarinet Association Convention 2023

Tarjama Kanunist, Tamia Dowlatabadi

Tarjama in San Diego

With Hector Delgado, Christine Sirmons, and Tamia Dowlatabadi

Tarjama in San Diego

Tarjama with Dance Soloist, Georgia Michelle

Eric Koenig

Tarjama with Georgia Michelle, Boulder Arts Commission Grant

Tarjama with Eric Koenig

Tarjama with Georgia Michelle, Boulder Arts Commission Grant

Eric Koenig at Mendocino Mid East Camp

Tarjama at Mendocino Mid East Camp

Tarjama at Bella Diva Dance, Glendale, Colorado

Meg York, Faisal Zedan, Samantha, and Phrank Bramlitt at Colorado Rennaissance Festival

Tarjama at First Plymouth

Meg York and Faisal Zedan

Tarjama Ensemble at First Plymouth

Arthur Lefebure Tarjama Percussionist

Meg York and Arthur Lefebure

Tarjama at Albuquerque Folk Fest

Tarjama Ronaldo Baca and Arthur Lefebure at Albuquerque Folk Fest

Playing for International Line Dancers at Albuquerque Folk Festival

Meg York, Ben Cohen, and Petar Teodosijev at Broomfield Auditorium

Partners

Musical Ambassadors of Peace

Supporting Tarjama in Aurora and Boulder for 15 years

Musical Ambassadors of Peace 501(c)3 formed in 2003 to support Musical Ambassadors in refugee and immigrant populations. The focus has always been to keep culture alive and spirits up by playing, singing, and drumming love songs and dance music from the indigenous culture. For Tarjama, MAP has supplied funding for percussion instruments, stipends for outreach, and parntered for concerts. The Mercury Cafe Concerts, Columbine Conference Center concerts, and Tarab Retreat were made possible in part by Musical Ambassadors of Peace support.

Musical Ambassadors of Peace

East European Folklife Center

Workshops, Concerts, and classes for three decades

EEFC weeklong workshops are teacher training and celebrations of Balkan and beyond culture. The inspiration gained from living together for a week in Mendocino woodlands together with top players and dancers from across the United States and the globe inspired many ensembles and passed along many tunes, skills and friendships. Meg York is a Lifetime Member of EEFC

East Euroopean Folklife Center

Athena Project

Empowering Women Through the Arts

Meg York has been a featured artist for Athena Project collaborations, including creating a soundtrack for visual art at Swallow Hill Music and playing for other events.

Athena Project

Fat Crow Press Posters

Las Vegas New Mexico Prints

Fat Crow is woman owned and operated by Julie Sola. She hand sketches, carves, inks and prints limited edition posters for Tarjama Events. It's a lovely artistic match.

Fat Crow Press

Boulder Arts Commission

supporting arts in Boulder county

Boulder Arts Commission funded two concerts at Columbine Spiritual Center, one featuring Arabic percussion master Faisal Zedan and the other Hindustani Classical music.

Alex Wilson Legacy Fund

Supporting folk arts in Colorado

Alex Wilson was an International Line Dancer in the Boulder Community that left a fund to support folk dance, storytelling and music in Colardo.

AWLF has supported Tarab Retreat events since 2018

Alex Wilson Legacy Fund

Tarab Retreat

Emmersive Events for Global Grooves

Meg York and Pete Jacobs started Tarab Retreat in 2018 inspired by Middle East and East European Folklife Center Mendocino California camps. The first two years were at the historic La Foret Center in the Black Forest of Colorado Springs. During Covid, Tarab Retreat hosted over 300 hours of Faisal Zedan percussion classes, Yalda Celebration for Persian winter solstice, and hybrid events at Columbin Conference Center.

Tarab has brought together Arabic, Jewish, Israli, Persian, Iranian, Nepali, Hindustani, Jazz, Sephardic, Flamenco, and Palistinian artists together to create, celebrate, and collaborate.