The Mozaiek Ensemble plays poetic Arab songs from the inner heart, rearranged in a cross over of western classic with eastern music.
On the program are amongst others works of Albinoni, Mozart and classical arranged pieces of different eastern composers from the 19th and 20th century
Mireille Bittar - vocals
Founder of Mozaiek Ensemble. A Syrian soprano singer, a Master student at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in the classical music department. Achieved a Bachelor in Music from the High Institute of Music In Damascus 2013 and a Bachelor in Accounting from Damascus University 2013. Played Cherubino from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart in the opera house in Syria led by Julius Kalmar and Missak Baghboudarian 2010. She sang the soprano role in Requiem Mozart 2011, Mass G-dur Schubert 2013, Stabat Mater by Karl Jenkins 2015, Liebeslieder – Brahms 2016 and the solo soprano in the opera: “it is here if you see it here if you hear it” at the National Opera & Ballet 2016. Worked with the Syrian Women Oriental Ensemble and with several oriental bands and ensembles inside and outside Syria. Won numerous awards for best singer in Kitharet Al Rouh festival in 2000, and best Oud player for 2004
Feras Khouri – piano & arrangements
Founder of Mozaiek Ensemble. A Syrian pianist, composer and music arranger, specialized in composing and arranging eastern and Arabic music. Graduated from The Arabic Institute of Music as a pianist in 1992, studied the piano with professors Vladimir Zaritsky, Cynthia El-Wadi and Gaswan Zerikly. A member of the Syrian Artists Association since 1998. Played the piano with big stars in the Arab world: Mayada El-Hennawy (1994-1996), Majida Al-Roumi (2000-2008), George Wassouf, Abdallah Al-Rowaished, Nour Mhanna, Samira Said, Elias Karam and Melhem Barakat. He was the conductor of several singers’ bands in the Arab world including: Asala Nasri – Moeen Sherif – Rida – Houwaida – Rouwaida Attieh – Melhem Zein and others. Composed and arranged many musical pieces, some of them are short songs and some are instrumental music without singing.
Ayman Hajjmian - double bass
A Syrian bass player, graduated from the High Institute of Music in Damascus in 2006. Worked with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra from 2003 until 2015. Worked with the Arabic Orchestra in Damascus. Worked with Algerian Symphonic Orchestra 2014/2015. Member in the “West Eastern Divan” Orchestra conducted by maestro Daniel Barenboim in 2005/2006.
Youssef Nassif – kanun
Kanun player and composer, has studied kanun and piano at the Academy of Music in Damascus. During his studies he gave concerts in Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Since 2013 he lives in Germany and plays mostly in Germany and Europe. In 2015 he presented his new album with his own compositions (Man's Journey). He performs both as a solo artist as well as in small ensembles or orchestras. He has performed, among others at the Festival of Contemporary Music in Warsaw, at the music festival in Weimar with the Stüba Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra and with the WAJD Ensemble for the European Commission.
Modar Salama – percussion & riq
A Syrian drummer and percussionist and riq player. He studied classical and Oriental percussion at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus. He played with the Syrian National Orchestra, the Syrian Big Band and many other international projects in China, Jordan, Tunisia, Austria, Germany, Lebanon and Egypt. He is now working in the Netherlands on a number of projects as an Arabic percussion player and drummer and he is creating his own style influenced by the soul of the Orient.