DamaSCENE

Noun Ya played their mix of flute & oud at the Centre Culturel Français one cold, December evening in Damascus. The mix of traditional Arabic sounds and French-influences made for an interesting night, and the current trend of recording a rhythm and playing over the top of it worked well with the oud.

A week later, I went to a concert at the Damascus Opera House, where an orchestra was complemented by some Middle Eastern instruments, and where Arabic poetry was put into song.

Amid the car-horns, the hawkers, the bustle and shouting of the streets, it’s nice to step out of it all…