Maya Youssef Syrian Kanun Player

Virtuoso Syrian Kanun player educator and composer Maya Youssef comes from a family of artists. When she was ten of age, she heard the sound of the kanun playing in a taxi while heading towards the music institute where she was studying. From that moment, Maya made an intuitive decision to start her journey with the kanun. Her musical renown was indeed set in motion tow years later, when she won Best Musician Award in Syrias Youth National Music Competition. She afterwards obtained two BA degrees, one in Music from The High Institute of Music in Damascus, another in English literature from University of Damascus and a Masters degree in Ethnomusicology from SOAS University of London where she is also teaching.

As an acclaimed expert, she was invited in 2009 to teach at Oman's Sultan Qaboos University at the Department of Music and Musicology where she taught Kanun and Theory of Arabic Music. With her talent gaining international prominence, Maya gave vibrant performances around the globe.

Her work was featured as a celebrated kanun player on Reuters, BBC Arabic, Resonance FM, al-Ghad al-Arabi TV, Dubai TV, SOAS Radio, BBC Radio 3 among others. In early 2012, Arts Council of England endorsed Maya as an Exceptional Talent. Since then, she performed at venues like The Vortex, National Portrait Gallery, and Royal Albert Hall to name a few.

Maya's style is rooted in the ancient and rich tradition of Syrian music, however she is constantly pushing the boundaries of her instrument to new possibilities. With an enchanting stage presence and a stylistic combination of a 1000 years old musical heritage and a fresh new approach, Mayas performances are moving unforgettable.