TWAIS Quartet

Essam Rafea created the group in 2004. TWAIS Quartet, as the classical takht (oriental quartet) is composed of Oud, Qanoon, Nay, and Percussions. Twais was the first singer of the Islamic era who was praised for the beauty of his voice and his originality as he introduced Iqaa (beats) into singing in the 7th century. He was born in Al Madina Al Munawra (Currently in Saudi Arabia), and died in Sweida – Syria. It is this spirit of innovation and originality that the Quatret is aspiring and striving to represent.

The project of the musicians is to search the roots of the Arab and Oriental Music with focus on the instrumental music and to include them in contemporary forms, using different musical schools and contemporary compositions, in an attempt to create a unique style of music. Twais performed so far in Germany (Achen) – France (Fontainebleau, Festival d’île de France, Marseille, Cité de la Musique)– Kuwait and in Syria (Damascus, Opera House, Hammam Fat'hi, Goethe Institut, and Aleppo).

Always searching for new experiments and unexpected encounters, the group also participated in the last Album of the German Accordion player Manfred Leuchter, as well as in the album “Pelligrino” with the French Baroque music group, Musiques des Lumières XVIII-21 led by Jean-Christophe Frish. They launched their first album in 2008.