The Levant () describes, traditionally, the Eastern Mediterranean at large, but can be used as a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia formed by the lands bordering the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, roughly bounded on the north by the Taurus Mountains, on the south by the Arabian Desert, and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, while on the east it extends towards the Zagros Mountains. The Levant includes modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories and is similar to the historic area called Syria or Greater Syria. Occasionally Cyprus, Sinai and Iraq are included. The UCL Institute of Archeology describes the Levant as the "crossroads of western Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and northeast Africa". Similar etymologies are found in Ancient Greek Ἀνατολή (cf. Anatolia) and Germanic Morgenland.

"Capitulations"

The term became current in English in the 16th century, along with the first English merchant adventurers in the region: English ships appeared in the Mediterranean in the 1570s and the English merchant company signed its agreement ("capitulations") with the Grand Turk in 1579 (Braudel).

In 19th-century travel writing, the term incorporated eastern regions under then current or recent governance of the Ottoman empire, such as Greece. In 19th-century archaeology, it referred to overlapping cultures in this region during and after prehistoric times, intending to reference the place instead of any one culture.

After World War I

The French Mandates of Syria and Lebanon, from 1920 to 1946, were called the Levant states. The term became common in archaeology at that time, as many important early excavations were made then, such as Mari and Ugarit. Since these sites could not be classified as Mesopotamian, North African, or Arabian, they came to be referred to as "Levantine."

Since World War II

Today "Levant" is typically used by archaeologists and historians with reference to the prehistory and the ancient and medieval history of the region, as when discussing the Crusades. The term is also occasionally employed to refer to modern or contemporary events, peoples, states or parts of states in the same region, namely Cyprus, Iraq, the Palestinian territories, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria (compare with Near East, Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia). Several researchers include the island of Cyprus in Levantine studies, including the Council for British Research in the Levant, the UCLA Near Eastern Languages and Cultures department, and the UCL Institute of Archaeology, the last of which has dated the connection between Cyprus and mainland Levant to the early Iron Age. Currently, a dialect of Levantine Arabic, Cypriot Maronite Arabic, is the most-spoken minority language in the country.

The term "Southern Levant" is used by archaeologists as a non-political term for (approximately) the area of the modern states of Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jordan; see History of the Southern Levant.

See also

Mashriq

Fertile Crescent

History of the Levant

Mesopotamia

Near East and Middle East

Notes

References

Braudel, Fernand, The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Phillip II

Julia Chatzipanagioti: Griechenland, Zypern, Balkan und Levante. Eine kommentierte Bibliographie der Reiseliteratur des 18. Jahrhunderts. 2 Vol. Eutin 2006. ISBN 3981067428

http://www.levantine.plus.com/index.htm. Levantine Heritage Site. Includes many oral and scholarly histories, and genealogies for some Levantine Turkish families.

External links

The History of the Ancient Near East The Ancient Levant Levantine Cultural Center in Los Angeles

Category:Fertile Crescent Category:Mediterranean Category:Near East Category:Western Asia Category:Geography of Syria Category:Geography of Lebanon Category:Geography of Palestine Category:Geography of Jordan Category:Geography of Israel

Dušan Bogdanović () (born 1955) is a Serbian-born American composer and classical guitarist. He has explored musical languages which are reflected in his style today: a unique synthesis of classical, jazz and ethnic music. As a soloist and in collaboration with other artists, Bogdanović has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan and the United States.

Bogdanović was born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1955. He completed his studies in composition and orchestration at the Geneva Conservatory with Pierre Wissmer and Alberto Ginastera, and in guitar performance with Maria Livia São Marcos. Early in his career, he received the only First Prize at the Geneva Competition, and gave a highly acclaimed debut recital in Carnegie Hall in 1977. He has taught at the University of Southern California, San Francisco Conservatory and is currently at the Geneva Conservatory.

His performing and recording activities include work with chamber ensembles of diverse stylistic orientations: the De Falla Guitar Trio; a harpsichord and guitar duo with Elaine Comparone; and jazz collaborations with Anthony Cox, Charlie Haden, Milcho Leviev, James Newton, Arto Tuncbayaci, and others.

Dušan Bogdanović's recording credits include close to twenty albums (on Intuition, Doberman, Ess.a.y, M.A Recordings, GSP and other labels), ranging from Bach Trio Sonatas to contemporary works. Over seventy of his compositions are published by Bèrben Editions (Italy), Doberman-Yppan (Canada) and Guitar Solo publications (San Francisco).

His theoretical work includes Polyrhythmic and Polymetric Studies, as well as a bilingual publication covering three-voice counterpoint and Renaissance improvisation for guitar (Bèrben) and Ex Ovo-A Guide for Perplexed Composers and Improvisers (Doberman-Yppan). He has also collaborated on multi-disciplinary projects involving music, psychology, philosophy and fine arts.

Partial List of Recordings

Worlds, M.A Recordings, M.A 009A (1989)

Keys to Talk by, M.A Recordings, M.A 019A (1992)

Bach with Pluck! ESS.A.Y Recordings, ESS.A.Y CD1023 (1992)

Levantine Tales, M.A Recordings, M.A 013A (1992)

Bach with Pluck! Vol.2, ESS.A.Y Recordings, ESS.A.Y CD1039 (1994)

In the Midst of Winds, M.A Recordings, M.A 023A (1994)

Mysterious Habitats, Guitar Solo Publications, GSP 1014CD (1995)

Unconscious in Brasil, Guitar Solo Publications, GSP 1017CD (1999)

Yano Mori, Intuition Records, INT 3510-2 (1999)

Canticles, Editions Doberman, DO 339 (2001)

Early To Rise, Quicksilver Records, QSCD 4025(2003)

And Yet...,Editions Doberman, DO 458 (2005)

Winter Tale, Editions Doberman, DO 667 (2008)

Partial List of Works

Solo Guitar

Sonata no.1 (1978), Berben 2445

Cinq Miniatures Printanieres (1979), Berben 2308

Jazz Sonata (1982), Guitar Solo Publications 44

Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue for the Golden Flower (1985), Berben 3015

Sonata no.2, (1985), Berben 2581

Polyrhythmic and Polymetric Studies, (1990), Berben 3320

Raguette no.2, (1991), Berben 3601

Six Balkan Miniatures (1991), Guitar Solo Publications 79

Mysterious Habitats (1994), Guitar Solo Publications 131

In Winter Garden (1996), Guitar Solo Publications 163

Three African Sketches (1996), Guitar Solo Publications 195

Book of the Unknown Standards (1997), Doberman 267

Three Ricercars (1998), Doberman 258

Triptico en Omenaje a Garcia Lorca (2002), Doberman 532

Hymn to the Muse (2003), Doberman 525

Fantasia (hommage a Maurice Ohana) (2009), Doberman 697

Chamber Music with Guitar

Sonata Fantasia, 2 guitars (1990–91), Berben 3501

No Feathers on This Frog, 2 guitars (1990), Doberman 300

Canticles, 2 guitars (1998), Doberman 281

Tres Nubes, 2 guitars (2004), Doberman 488

Tombeau de Purcell, 2 guitars (2004), Doberman 504

Trio, 3 prepared guitars (1989), Doberman 675

Pastorale, 3 guitars (1991), Guitar Solo Publications 190

Lyric Quartet, 4 guitars (1993), Berben 3669

Introduction and Dance, 4 guitars (1995), Doberman 278

Codex XV, 4 guitars or guitar ensemble (1998), Doberman 263

The Snow Queen (A Musical Fairy Tale after H. C. Andersen), guitar ensemble (7) and narrator (2008), Doberman 669

Pure Land, voice, flute and guitar (poetry by Patricia Capetola) (1981) Doberman 681

Crow, voice, flute, guitar and bass (poetry by Ted Hughes) (1990), Doberman 269

Five Songs on poetry by Gabriela Mistral, voice and guitar (1991), Doberman 318

Metamorphoses, harp and guitar (1993), Berben 3777

Like a String of Jade Jewels (Six Native American Songs), voice and guitar (1994), Doberman 306

Do the Dead Know What Time it is? (poetry by Kenneth Patchen), voice and guitar (1996), Doberman 296

And Yet...., flute, koto and guitar (flute and 2 guitars) (1997), Doberman 236

Sevdalinka, 2 guitars and string quartet (1999), Doberman 406

Byzantine Theme and Variations, guitar and string quartet (2002), Doberman 453

Games, (poetry by Vasko Popa), voice, flute, guitar, bass and percussion (2) (2002), Doberman 465

Guitar and Orchestra

Concerto, guitar and string orchestra (1979), Doberman 400

Prayers, 2 guitars and string orchestra (2005), Doberman 570

Kaleidoscope, concerto for guitar and chamber ensemble (2008), Doberman 659

No Feathers on This Frog, 2 guitars and symphonic orchestra (1990), Doberman 694

Miscellaneous

Six Illuminations, piano (1994), Berben 3778

Cantilena and Fantasia, piano (1995), Doberman 357

Do the Dead Know What Time it is? (poetry by Kenneth Patchen), voice, flute, cello and piano (1996), Singidunum Music

Balkan Mosaic, oboe, flute, violin, cello, keyboards and percussion (2000), Doberman 364

Three Obfuscations, piano (2001), Doberman 397

To Where Does The One Return?, 7 non- specified percussion instruments,(2001), Doberman 296

Over The Face of The Water, piano 4 hands (2003), Singidunum Music

Codex XV, string orchestra (2004), Doberman 486

Critical and Scholarly Studies

Kishimine, Hiroshi. A Close Look Into the Diverse World of Dusan Bogdanovic; Discovering Influences Through Analyses of Selected Solo Guitar Works. DMA diss., Shenandoah Conservatory, Virginia, 2007.

Yen, Ruey Shyang, Exoticism in Modern Guitar Music: Works of Carlo Domeniconi; Ravi Shankar; Benjamin Britten; Dusan Bogdanovic. DMA diss. Arizona State University, 1996.

References

Bogdanovic, Dusan, Verso une nuova sintesi- article with biographical ref., Guitarart November/December 1996; pp. 31-37.

Attademo, Luigi, La mia ricerca, tra composizione e innovazione-Dusan Bogdanovic interview, Guitart 1999, No.XV, pp. 4-9.

Martinez, Emma, Dusan Bogdanovic interview, Classical Guitar Magazine, UK, 1998, pp. 11-20.

European Guitar Teacher's Association, biographical reference

Doberman Editions, biographical reference- list of published works ref.

Guitar Solo Publications, biographical ref.- list of published works ref.

Berben Edizioni, biographical ref.- list of published works ref.

External links

Official Homepage

Les Editions Doberman-Yppan

Berben Edizioni

Guitar Solo Publications

Muse-Eek Publishing

Haute ecole de musique de Geneve

Category:American composers Category:American classical guitarists Category:Serbian classical guitarists Category:Serbian composers Category:1955 births Category:Living people

Name	Julia Bacha
Caption	Julia Bacha
Birthdate	1980
Birthplace	Rio de Janeiro
Occupation	Director, Writer
Genre	Documentary

Julia Bacha (born 1980 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian documentary filmmaker.

Background

Bacha was born in 1980 in in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of her move to the United States and transition to filmmaking, Bacha states:

:When I was 17 I came to the US to study Middle Eastern history and politics at Columbia University. History was always the subject that I loved the most and I felt it gave me the deepest sense of our humanity and who we are and where we’re going. When I came to Columbia and started taking classes with some of the Middle Eastern professors, it really opened a world for me that I hadn’t had the chance yet to experience. Then I got accepted to Tehran University to do my masters but the Iranian government wasn’t issuing visas to international students at the time. I was caught in a limbo because my visa to be in the US had expired and yet I couldn’t go to Iran. So I accepted an invitation by an Egyptian filmmaker to go to Cairo and work on this documentary called Control Room.

Bacha was awarded the 2003 Phi Beta Kappa prize upon graduation from Columbia University.

Career

Bacha has worked on three documentaries of note. In 2004, she was the co-writer (with director Jehane Noujaim) and editor of Control Room, a critically acclaimed documentary about Al Jazeera. Bacha was nominated to the Writers Guild of America Awards 2005 for her work on this film. Two years later, she co-directed (with Ronit Avni) the documentary Encounter Point, which was the official selection at Tribeca Film Festival, Hot Docs, Jerusalem Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival and San Francisco International Film Festivals, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. Most recently, Bacha directed the 2009 documentary Budrus which was shown at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival and became runner up in the festival's documentary competition.

Selected filmography

Control Room (2004) - Co-writer and editor

Encounter Point (2006) - Co-Director

Budrus (2009) - Director

Notes

Further reading

indieWire. "Budrus Director Julia Bacha’s Appeals to Widest Audience. April 22, 2010.

Romero, Angie. "Berlin Film Festival Spotlight: Julia Bacha's Budrus. February 23, 2010.

External links

Julia Bacha page at Just Vision

Category:Brazilian film directors Category:Documentary film directors Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Female film directors Category:Living people Category:1980 births

Swimmername	Ian Crocker
Fullname	Ian Lowell Crocker
Nationality
Birthdate	August 31, 1982
Birthplace	Portland, Maine, USA
Height

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Ian Crocker (born August 31, 1982 in Portland, Maine) is a former American swimmer. He is a three-time Olympic champion and former world record holder in the 100 m butterfly.

Early life

Crocker attended Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, being one of Cheverus' most famous athletic graduates.

Career

Crocker, who specializes in the butterfly, has received five Olympic medals in his career. In addition to his accomplishments at the Olympics, Crocker was the first man to ever swim under 51 seconds in the 100 meter butterfly. Crocker improved his world record of 50.98 twice, down to a time of 50.40 set at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, before being bested by Michael Phelps in 2009.

2000-2001

At the 2000 Summer Olympics, Crocker was a member of the gold medal-winning 400 meter medley relay team and barely missed winning a bronze in the 100 meter butterfly.

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a silver medal medal in the 100 m butterfly, finishing behind Lars Frölander.

2003 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Australian Matt Welsh, who set the world record. Crocker is best known in these Championships for his world record performance in the 100 m butterfly final. After the semifinals of the 100 m butterfly, it seemed Crocker was out of the gold medal position after Andrii Serdinov and Michael Phelps went under the former world record. However, in the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker swam a 50.98 to become the first man under 51 seconds and win the gold medal. When Crocker saw the time after the race, he thought the world record belonged to Phelps. Crocker earned his final medal, a gold, in the 4x100 m medley relay. The American team recorded a time of 3:31.54 to beat the former world record set in 2002.

2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Crocker received a bronze medal as a member of the 400 meter freestyle relay team, a silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly, and a gold medal as a member of the world-record setting 400 meter medley relay team. Of the three medals he won at the 2004 Summer Olympics, he is best remembered for his silver, as teammate Michael Phelps overtook him at the very end of the 100 meter butterfly to win the race by .04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4x100 m medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the medley relay but he deferred and Crocker swam instead. Crocker had made a mistake starting the 400 freestyle relay final, which cost the Americans gold, so Phelps' gesture gave Crocker a chance to make amends as well getting his final shot at a gold medal. Crocker and the American medley team went on to win the event in world record time, so Crocker finally got his gold medal. (Phelps received a gold medal as well, since he had swum in the preliminary heat of the medley relay).

2005 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind South African Roland Schoeman, who set the world record. In the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker recorded a time of 50.40 to beat his own world record of 50.76 and win the gold medal. Crocker also handed Michael Phelps one of worst losses in his career when Phelps finished over as second behind. With this win, Crocker was awarded a spot in the 4x100 m medley relay. Crocker did not disappoint and swam the butterfly leg in 50.39. The American team went on to win the gold medal.

2007 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won two silver medals. In the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Schoeman. In the 100 m butterfly final, Crocker finished second to Phelps 50.82 to 50.77. In the heats of the 4x100 m medley relay, Crocker dove in too early on an exchange, causing the disqualification of the American team.

2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games

Crocker competed in the his 3rd Olympics as a medal contender for his signature 100 m butterfly. Many felt Crocker's career was on a slide due to a poor showing in the Olympic trials and having not broken the 51 second barrier in over 12 months. Crocker finished in a tie for third in the semi-finals, behind Australia's Andrew Lauterstein. In the finals, he finished fourth behind teammate Phelps, Milorad Čavić, and Lauterstein, beating Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford. He missed the medal stand by a hundredth of a second. Despite not earning a medal in his signature event, Crocker was given the opportunity to swim for the 4x100 medley relay B team. To his disappointment, Crocker did not get to swim in the finals nor stand on the podium, however he earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats.

Retirement

Crocker has not officially made an announcement about his retirement after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games but he has since taken a break and started a swim school with Olympian and former Longhorn teammate Neil Walker and U.S. National Champion and former Longhorn teammate James Fike with locations in Austin and Dallas.

Personal bests

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:98%; text-align:center;" |+Personal bests !width="100"| Event !width="100"| Long course !width="100"| Short course |- |align="left"| 50 m butterfly |23.12 ‡ |22.71 ‡ |- |align="left"| 100 m butterfly |50.40 |49.07 |- |align="left"| 50 m freestyle |22.74 |21.44 |- |align="left"| 100 m freestyle |49.06 |46.25 ‡ |- |}

Key: ‡ = American record

See also

World record progression 100 metres freestyle

World record progression 100 metres butterfly

References

External links

Official website of Ian Crocker

USA Swimming athlete bio: Ian Crocker

Ian Crocker profile on NBC Olympics

Michael Phelps|title=Men's 100 metre butterflyworld record holder (long course)|years=July 26, 2003 – July 09, 2009|after= Michael Phelps|rec}} Milorad Čavić|title=Men's 100 metre butterflyworld record holder (short course)|years=March 26, 2004 – November 07, 2009|after= Yevgeny Korotyshkin|rec}} Alexander Popov|title=Men's 100 metre freestyleworld record holder (short course)|years=March 27, 2004 – November 17, 2007|after= Stefan Nystrand|rec}} Matthew Welsh|title=Men's 50 metre butterflyworld record holder (long course)|years=February 29, 2004 – July 24, 2005|after= Roland Schoeman|rec}} Geoff Huegill|title=Men's 50 metre butterflyworld record holder (short course)|years=October 10, 2004 – December 17, 2005|after= Kaio de Almeida|rec}}

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:People from Portland, Maine Category:Texas Longhorns swimmers Category:American swimmers Category:Butterfly swimmers Category:Freestyle swimmers Category:Olympic swimmers of the United States Category:Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States Category:World record holders in swimming