Palestinian musician and educator Ranzi Aburedwan and his Arabic-French Dal'Ouna Ensemble are in the midst of a concert and book tour that focuses on Aburedwan's belief in the power of music and culture to transform lives and resist oppression. They are bringing that tour to the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme on Friday. The performance is presented by The Tree of Life Educational Fund.

The tour is happening at the same time as the paperback release of "Children of the Stone: The Power of Music in a Hard Land" by Sandy Tolan, who also wrote the bestselling book "The Lemon Tree." "Children of the Stone" details Aburedewan's years growing up in an occupied Palestinian refugee camp; his transformation into a musician; and his creation of a music school, Al-Kamandjati, which has locations in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

Friday's concert will meld Palestinian Arab folk, classical, jazz and world music. Performers include Lebanese singer Abeer Nehme; violist and buzouk player Ramzi Aburedwan and percussionist Tareq Rantisi from Palestine; oud player Ziad Ben Youssef from Tunisia; Edwin Buger from Yugoslavia on accordion; and Michael Dabroski from Palestine on violin.

Ranzi Aburedwan and his Dal'Ouna Ensemble, 7 p.m. Friday, First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, Lyme Street; admission $10, free to students and those under 21; (860) 434-8686, tolef.org.