REVIEW: Beyond Tradition

©️Beyond Tradition

With an opening speech setting the theme for the evening: “music carries memory and connection across society and community”, as part of the Aga Khan Music Programme, the concert brought together three musicians from different musical traditions: Oud player Yasamin Shahhosseini, Buzuq player Farah Kaddour, and Kora player Senny Camara. Each musician performed an improvised piece on their respective instrument before the three came together for a collaborative composition.

Yasamin Shahhosseini was the first to take the stage with her oud. With her feet resting on a footstool, she began quietly, gradually drawing the audience into a deeper and more atmospheric sound world. The oud is a traditional Middle Eastern string instrument whose musical language is rooted in maqam rather than the Western major and minor tonal system. This gives the music a distinctive melodic character, with subtle shifts in pitch and ornamentation shaping its expression.

Senny Camara then entered with her kora, a 21-string West African harp-lute. Holding the instrument between her knees, she used both hands to create intricate layers of rhythm and melody. Her playing had a remarkable clarity and delicacy. The flowing patterns created a sense of spaciousness, while her voice added another layer to the music. At times, the performance felt almost dreamlike, encouraging the audience to slow down and become immersed in the sound.

Farah Kaddour followed with the buzuq, a traditional long-necked, fretted string instrument belonging to the lute family. Her approach immediately contrasted with the previous performances. She began with a much faster tempo, demonstrating the instrument’s technical possibilities through energetic passages and rapid strumming. The music evoked the atmosphere of a busy marketplace, full of movement and colour. At other moments, she allowed the sound to recede, bringing out distinct melodic lines as the lower register interacted with the accompanying harmonies.

The most compelling section came when the three musicians performed together. Farah began the piece, followed by Yasamin’s oud and then Senny’s kora and voice. Rather than simply layering three instruments together, the musicians appeared to be in constant dialogue with one another. As Farah gradually slowed the tempo, Yasamin took the opportunity to develop an extended solo. Farah then responded to her phrases, creating what felt almost like a musical conversation. When Senny’s voice entered, the piece expanded again, adding another dimension to the dialogue between the instruments. A 3+3+2 rhythmic pattern introduced an unexpected sense of movement, giving the music a playful and distinctive character. The transitions between solo passages, instrumental responses and vocal lines demonstrated how three different musical traditions could meet without losing their individual identities.

The concert’s strongest quality was perhaps this sense of exchange. The three musicians did not attempt to make their instruments sound the same. Instead, the differences between the oud, buzuq and kora became part of the conversation. Through improvisation, rhythm and attentive listening, the performance created a shared musical space in which memory and cultural connection could be experienced rather than simply explained.

★★★★

For more information, please visit: https://www.eif.co.uk/events/beyond-tradition#programme

Sound Behind Curtain

A place for all Asian artists.

📮: contact@soundbehindcurtain.com

Your gift keeps the curtain rising for Asian creatives.

About
Contact

© 2026 Sound Behind Curtain. All rights reserved.
Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy

Reviews
Interviews
News