Presented By: The Bates Department of Music: Maine Middle Eastern Orchestra was founded in 2018 by Eric LaPerna with the goal of preserving and performing Arabic, Turkish and Armenian music from the art, classical, folk and Sufi traditions. This music was passed on to Eric and other members of the orchestra by master musicians, Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian, Bassam Saba and Michel Merhej Baklouk.

The MMEO is made up of music faculty members from Berklee, Bowdoin, Bates and Colby Colleges, as well as musicians from the world renowned National Arab Orchestra, New York Arabic Orchestra, DaPonte String Quartet, Okbari Middle Eastern Ensemble, Seyir Duo and the Casco Bay Tummlers.