Damascus, (SANA) – The Tuwais Quartet band explored in their concert, held on Tuesday evening at al-Assad House for Culture and Arts, new dimensions of Eastern music by presenting a series of musical pieces of various tempos, beats and styles.

Tuwais Quartet presented several pieces; most of them composed by the band founder Issam Rafi'a, exploring the roots of Arabic and Eastern music and using unusual combinations of instruments.

The musicians used both Eastern and Western instruments, including the Oud, the Nai, the Kanoun, the Riq, in addition to drums and contrabass.

The band is named after one of the first singers in the Islamic age. Tuwais was originally from Medina in Arabia, and was renowned for his beautiful voice and innovations. He introduced Iqa (the rhythmic patterns of Arabic music) to singing for the first time in the 7th century AD.

H. Sabbagh / Kh. Aridi