Warm up with global voices from Afghanistan & Hawaii

Tickets are available now for these upcoming events at The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Just go to TheCenterPresents.org or call (317) 843-3800.

Heart of Afghanistan featuring the Fanoos Ensemble
Saturday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m.
The Tarkington

With music banned in their home country, the Fanoos Ensemble carries the flame of the nation’s rich and complex cultural heritage, from its pre-Islamic Buddhist period to the modern era. Heart of Afghanistan features Afghan singer and TV star Ahmad Fanoos on vocals and harmonium, his sons Elham Fanoos on piano and Mehran Fanoos on violin, and Sohail Karimi on tabla. The program will include Afghan folk music, traditional odes based on Sufi poetry, and the iconic hits of Afghan pop singer Ahmad Zahir. Heart of Afghanistan is a production of American Voices.

Kalani Pe’a: Grammy-winning Singer & Songwriter
Saturday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m.
The Palladium

Kalani Peʻa is a Hawaiian singer-songwriter who performs his original Hawaiian songs alongside affectionate bilingual arrangements of R&B favorites, a style he calls “Hawaiian contemporary soul.” An avid performer since childhood, he worked as a teacher and children’s book author before turning to a career in music. He has released five albums since 2016, three winning the Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album and his latest, Kuini, nominated for 2025. He was the first Hawaiian singer to perform in Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series and also has performed in Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorers youth program.

See Hawaiian singer-songwriter Kalani Peʻa on Saturday, Feb. 22 at The Palladium. (Photo provided)

Special guest: Opening the show will be Indy Hula, a nonprofit group based in Indianapolis dedicated to spreading awareness of Polynesian culture, song and dance. Learn more at IndyHula.org.