The Arabic Percussionist - Percussionist

Looking for a female daf player or percussionist specialising in Arabic music? This performer studied Middle Eastern Music and Percussion at SOAS and is available for events.

This performer is originally from Venezuela, but during a short course in percussion and composition at Morley College in 2001, she enrolled in a full-time foundation course in music.

On discovering Ethnomusicology, she pursued a degree at SOAS where she focused on Middle Eastern music and percussion, where she was mentored by Ahmed Mukthar on darbuka, then Ibrahim Al-Miniawi and Tim Garside.

She learnt to play the Riqq, Bendir and Daf mainly on her own and then developed it more through various workshops with Rowan Storm, Andrea Piccioni, Yshai Afterman and Glen Velez.

Since graduating in 2006 she has been working as a session musician, teacher and events organiser, and has performed with numerous artists at various events including:

• Ahmed Mukhtar (Oud player and composer)
• Maya Youssef (Qanun player and composer)
• Baque Luar (Afro-Brazilian)
• Amira Kheir (Singer and composer)
• Tatcho Drom (Balkan music)
• Fear of The Forest (Folk/Medieval/Middle Eastern music)
• Charles Ketcham (pianist and conductor)
• Khyam Allami
• Nadine Khouri
• KARAMA
• Olcay Bayir
• Opaz
• Choreographer and dancer Florencia Guerberof (for 'Mi Patria Son Mis Zapatos’) amongst others
• BBC Radio 3, 1 and 6
• The Royal Shakespeare Company
• The Linbury Theatre
  The Royal Opera House for 'Golden Journey'
• WOMAD
• Cully Jazz Festival
• Camden Fringe Festival
• Busker Street festival in Switzerland

• Arabic Entertainment in Greater London