Group formation: Quarteto Ali Keeler: Voice and violin Yusuf Mezghildi: Qanun, Lute and chorus voice Salma Vives: Cello Omar Benlamlih: Percussion (bendir y darbuka) and voice. The group takes its inspiration from al-firdaus, the Arabic name for the most elevated place in Paradise. The word Paradise is derived from faradis, the plural form of firdaus, which is originally a Persian word. The intercultural nature of this name reflects the character of the group in which musicians from different countries and cultural backgrounds are brought together with one purpose. Their aspiration is to express through music the memory of the heavenly world we come from and to which we long to return. Just as the musicians tune their instruments, they need to tune their hearts to receive the inspiration of the moment and bring themselves and their audience into a state of spiritual contemplation. Sama, the traditional Arabic word for this kind of music, could be translated as the art of listening, which is the doorway to contemplation for both artists and audience alike. Al-Firdaus Ensemble, based in Granada, was founded in 2012 by the violinist and singer, Ali Keeler, and includes musicians from England, Spain and Morocco. The unique sound of their music is due to a synthesis of different musical styles. These include original compositions with influences from Western classical, Celtic and Flamenco traditions as well as arrangements of songs drawn from the rich heritage of sufi music from Arabic, Andalusi and Turkish sources. The words of the songs are mainly in Arabic, drawn from the poetry of the great sufis of al-andalus and the Arab world, such as Ibn Arabi and al-shushtari. Also within their repertory are musical adaptations of poems in aljamiado, the Spanish language written by the Moriscos in the sixteenth century using the Arabic script. The group usually performs as a quartet or quintet, but is versatile and can perform as a trio or in larger formations, depending on the situation. They use a combination of Arabic and Western classical instruments in addition to the flamenco guitar, and have a range of singers, some of whom are soloists. They also perform in a choral formation accompanied only by drums. Apart from performing in numerous concerts throughout Spain, they have participated in several international festivals. In this concert was born Firdaus current training Ensemble. Cultural Center Atarfe Medina Elvira (Granada) Alhambra de Granada,part dream and inspiration of our music and city where is settled Al Firdaus Ensemble - International Festival of Andalusi Music, Monastir, Tunisia. December 2012 - Islamic Festival of Mértola, Portugal. May 2013 - Sacred Music Festival, Fez, Morocco. June 2013 - Sufi Soul Festival, Kall, Germany. August 2013 firdas.ensemble@gmail.com +34 663 522 419
Group formation: Quarteto Ali Keeler: Voice and violin Yusuf Mezghildi: Qanun, Lute and chorus voice Salma Vives: Cello Omar Benlamlih: Percussion (bendir y darbuka) and voice. The group takes its inspiration from al-firdaus, the Arabic name for the most elevated place in Paradise. The word Paradise is derived from faradis, the plural form of firdaus, which is originally a Persian word. The intercultural nature of this name reflects the character of the group in which musicians from different countries and cultural backgrounds are brought together with one purpose. Their aspiration is to express through music the memory of the heavenly world we come from and to which we long to return. Just as the musicians tune their instruments, they need to tune their hearts to receive the inspiration of the moment and bring themselves and their audience into a state of spiritual contemplation. Sama, the traditional Arabic word for this kind of music, could be translated as the art of listening, which is the doorway to contemplation for both artists and audience alike. Al-Firdaus Ensemble, based in Granada, was founded in 2012 by the violinist and singer, Ali Keeler, and includes musicians from England, Spain and Morocco. The unique sound of their music is due to a synthesis of different musical styles. These include original compositions with influences from Western classical, Celtic and Flamenco traditions as well as arrangements of songs drawn from the rich heritage of sufi music from Arabic, Andalusi and Turkish sources. The words of the songs are mainly in Arabic, drawn from the poetry of the great sufis of al-andalus and the Arab world, such as Ibn Arabi and al-shushtari. Also within their repertory are musical adaptations of poems in aljamiado, the Spanish language written by the Moriscos in the sixteenth century using the Arabic script. The group usually performs as a quartet or quintet, but is versatile and can perform as a trio or in larger formations, depending on the situation. They use a combination of Arabic and Western classical instruments in addition to the flamenco guitar, and have a range of singers, some of whom are soloists. They also perform in a choral formation accompanied only by drums. Apart from performing in numerous concerts throughout Spain, they have participated in several international festivals. In this concert was born Firdaus current training Ensemble. Cultural Center Atarfe Medina Elvira (Granada) Alhambra de Granada,part dream and inspiration of our music and city where is settled Al Firdaus Ensemble - International Festival of Andalusi Music, Monastir, Tunisia. December 2012 - Islamic Festival of Mértola, Portugal. May 2013 - Sacred Music Festival, Fez, Morocco. June 2013 - Sufi Soul Festival, Kall, Germany. August 2013 firdas.ensemble@gmail.com +34 663 522 419
Ali Keeler: Born in London in 1973 and later moved to the district of Kent where he spent the rest of his childhood. He started learning the violin at the age of seven and played in several classical youth orchestras. He went on to study classical violin at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he gained experience playing in a string quartet. He then went to Damascus in Syria to study Arabic. During his time in Syria he studied tajwid, the art of Quran recitation, and learnt to sing within the tradition of the maqam in the zawiyas of Damascus and Aleppo. He received instruction in singing from the distinguished munshid Mustapha Karim and learnt the recitation of Quran from several master. Applying his musical experience within the Arabic tradition to the violin, he has developed a varied repertoire of pieces from Celtic, Arabic, Andalusi and Turkish sources. He has given a number of recitals solo collaborating in several concerts with the German sufi ensemblethe Caravan of Love. In 2006 he moved to Granada group both as a performer, arranger and composer, performing in concerts and festivals in Spain, France, Portugal, Germany, Turkey and Morrocco where they took part in the Festival of Andalusi music in Casablanca in 2010 and in the Seventh edition of the Festival of Sufi Culture in Fez in 2011.
Omar Benlamlih He was born in Casablanca to a family of musicians and singers within the sufi tradition, originally from Fez. He learnt to sing and play percussion at the Casablanca Academy of Music, and through his attendance at sufi gatherings at various zawiyas in Casablanca and Fez. He leads various groups including; Tangeri Café Orchestra and Turath al Andalus, which offer music from a range of musical styles including Arabic, Andalusi, Flamenco and jazz, and fusion. He learned the recitation of Quran from several masters, Applying his musical experience within the Arabic tradition to the violin, he has developed a varied repertoire of pieces from Celtic, Arabic, Andalusi and Turkish sources.
Yusuf Mezghildi He was born in Tetouan, Morrocco in 1962. From the age of 5 he attended the sufi gatherings at the Zawiya Kittaniya with his father an Imam and Islamic scholar, where he learnt to sing traditional devotional songs. He continued his musical training at the Academy of Music of Tetouan where he studied over the course of ten years He studied solfeo, the lute with the distinguished teacher and also studied under the former Director of the Orquestra of Tetouan and head of the Academy of music, Muhammed Larbi. He has had 25 years of experience playing both lute and qanun with well known groups. He later moved to Spain where he performed and recorded with many renowned artists such as Enrique Morente, José Merce, Lole y Manuel, María Valverde and El Lebrijano. He has performed in many countries in Europe and the Arab world and spent 2 years in Orlando in the US working in a musical group at the Morroccan Pavilion at Disney Land. In 2010 he joined the group Al Kauthar performing with them in Festivals in Casblanca and Fez. He plays with different styles: Arabic, Andalusi,Flamenco, and Medieval. These include The Shekara Orchestra of Tetouan, Nawba Andalusia, Al Tarab, Turath Al Andalus and Alchemist.
Salma Vives She was born in Elche near Alicante in 1983 and started learning the cello at seven. She studied music at the conservatoire in Elche, and later in the conservatoire of Granada. Her interest in ancient music and oriental music led her to take up the lute her second instrument. She gained experience playing the lute in a group called Najla dedicated to the interpretation of Arabic, Andalusi and traditional Spanish folk music. She also has experience in playing flamenco music and collaborated with flamenco artists such as the guitarist Fraskito. She also plays with the ney player Ignacio Bejar in the group El Sombrero del Alquimista She was one of the founding members of Al Kauthar in which she contributed both as a performer and arranger. She recorded in their CD Ruh with both cello and lute. She has been with Al Firdaus Ensemble since its beginning, performing with the group in the city of Monastir Tunisia in the first International Festival of Andalusi Music.