Ahmad Al Khatib is an oud player and composer, currently resident in Sweden, where he teaches at the World music and Jazz department at the University of Gothenburg. He learned oud since childhood, then completed his Bachelor’s degree in musicology and classical western cello at Al-Yarmouk University (Jordan), winning the first prize of the solo performance competition in 1990 and 1991. After graduating with honors in 1997, he settled in Ramallah (Palestine). He joined the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, teaching in the Arabic Music Department and later heading it. In 1999, he established Karloma, a music ensemble that gathered teachers from the ESNCM, including Youssef Hbeisch. In April 2002, during the siege and curfew imposed on numerous Palestinian localities by the Israeli army, Al Khatib composed the pieces for his debut solo album, Sada. The same year, the visa allowing him to live in Palestine was not renewed. Forced to leave, he continues to work for the Conservatory, building connections with various institutions in the Arab world. Since 2004 he has lived in Sweden, where he obtained a Master's degree in Ethnomusicology and Methodology of Musical Education. He has released a number of albums, including “Sada” (solo oud), “Sabil” (Oud and Percussion duo with Youssef Hbeisch) and “Jadayel” (Duo Sabil with the Bela String Quartet).

Suhail Khoury

Suhail Khoury is a leading musician in the current musical scene in Palestine. A composer, Ney and Clarinet player, Khoury has been instrumental in the overall development of the musical life of Palestine during the last three decades. Mr. Khoury played a major role in the establishment of several leading cultural organizations in Palestine including the National Conservatory of Music, Yabous Productions, the Popular Arts Center, and the Network of Palestinian Arts Centers. He also established the Palestine International Festival for Music and Dance, the Jerusalem Festival, Layali al-Tarab festival for Arabic music, and the Jasmine Festival for classical, world and jazz music. From 2005-2009 Khoury was elected president of the Forum of Arab Conservatories of Music. He has also assumed roles in the past including advisor to the Palestinian Minister of Culture and the Bethlehem 2000 project as well as artistic director of El Funoun popular dance troupe. Khoury’s discography includes: “Marah” (1987), “Marj Ben Amer” (1989), “Ashiqa” (1995), “Matar” (1998), “Bass Shwai” (2003), “Al-Fawanees” (2009), and “Jerusalem After Midnight” (2009).

Youssef Hbeisch

Youssef has taught percussion at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, as well as Beit al-Musiqa in Shefamer. He still supervises in this field from time to time at the two institutes, through his method book for Oriental percussion and through intensive tuition workshops for teachers and students. Youssef is a world-class musician and performs with many Arabic music ensembles as well as contemporary jazz outfits and other genres. As well as his partnership with Ahmad Al Khatib in Duo Sabil, which was formed in 2000, Youssef has been a member of Karloma since 2000 and the Oriental Music Ensemble since 2003. He has played alongside Le Trio Joubran for the last 8 years and with the Oud al-Nad group for 4 years. He has collaborated with many European artists, including the Peace Ensemble with Sister Marie Keyrouz, Herbert Dupont’s Jasmin quintet for modern jazz, and Manu Théron playing and singing music of the thirteenth century Occitan Troubadours.

Ibrahim Atari 

Ibrahim Atari is a qanoun player, who began his studies at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in the year of its establishment, 1993. He has participated in the development of the qanoun section at the conservatory, to its position as one of the most important sections in the ESNCM today. Ibrahim has taken part in classes with some of the legendary musicians in the field of Oriental music, including Abdo Dagher, Wasid Rajab, Khalil Kardoman and Göksel Baktagir. Ibrahim has performed in many local and international festivals, as well as recording on a number of albums. Currently Ibrahim is the director of the Ramallah branch of the ESNCM, as well as teaching qanoun there.

Øystein Bru Frantzen 

Øystein Bru Frantzen is a Norwegian composer, arranger, multi instrumentalist and music teacher. He currently lives in Stavanger, Norway, where he works at Stavanger Cathedral School and Stavanger School of Music and Arts. Øystein obtained his Music degree from The University of Oslo, and he is among other things a former teacher of The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine and Dhow Countries Music Academy in Zanzibar. He has worked in a large range of different musical landscapes, including classical, jazz, rock/pop, folk music, Latin, African as well as music from the Middle East. He plays and teaches mostly bass, piano and guitar and he has also been a conductor of several choirs and orchestras. Øystein is also a member of the musical group Karloma which was founded in Palestine.

Wasim Qassis 
A musician and composer, Wasim has been on the faculty of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music since 2011 as a buzuq and percussion teacher. He leads the ESNCM ensemble “Anat”. He has composed music for film, television and theater, and has performed in tours around the world.

Rand Khoury 

Rand Khoury is an exceptional cello student at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music. She started playing cello at the age of five, and she is now an eighth level student at the conservatory. Rand is a member of the ESNCM Orchestra and the Palestine Youth Orchestra. She won first prize for her age category in the string section of the Palestine National Music Competition in 2012, and third prize in 2010 and 2014. She established a string trio along with two other ESNCM students, and they competed in the Manificat competition in Jerusalem, as well as winning second prize in the Palestine National Music Competition ensemble section in 2014.

Heather Bursheh 
Heather Bursheh was raised in the Shetland Islands, in the North of Scotland, and grew up playing classical flute and surrounded by Shetland folk music. Her career followed an equally diverse path, from classical chamber music and solo recitals to immersion in Arabic, Turkish and other musics. Heather moved to Palestine in 1998, and since then has been on the faculty of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, as well as playing in several bands in the area.

Members of Ud al-Nad, conducted by Katie Jarjoura:

Samih Al-Sheikh Suleiman 

Ghada Boulos 

Muna Bawardi

Hanine Zoabi

Christine Deeb

Georgette Gharib

Najwan Mabsaleh

Wala Jadoun

Abeer Nassar.

Members of the al-Farabi ensemble, led by Sami Khsheiboun:

Sami Khsheiboun – violin

Jamil Mansour - oud

Issa Awwad – qanoun

Aziz Nadaf - Riqq.

Training and musical arrangements: Samer Bishara.

Siraj Choir:

Wuroud Jubran

Balsam Darwish

Paulina Qassis

Safa Qasem

Maria Mansour

Qamar Abu Saleh

Alaa’ Bishara

Rami Ibrahim

Talat Sbeit

Salah Ershaid

Luay Srouji

Noor Darwish

The Musicians:

Yousef Makhoul – violin

Srour Saliba – violin

Charlie Safieh - violin

Ali Bakri – violin

Adel Joubran – cello

Usama Bishara – qanoun

Alaa’ Bishara – oud

Nour Darwish – buzuq

Adham Darwish – bass

Remon Dho – keyboard & accordion

Robert Ayoub – nai

Fadi Hanna - percussion

Elias Habib - percussion