Syrine Ben Moussa, accompanied by percussionist Dahmane Khalfa and violinist Iyadh Labbene, invites us to rediscover a living tradition through a musical experience that combines knowledge, emotion, authenticity and modernity. It will be a concert at which grassroots music dialogues with the present, as cultural heritage forms a bridge between different cultures. Her concert “Tunisian Breezes” reflects both her close relationship with the malouf style and the Tunisian classical repertoire, as well as the eclectic influences she has taken in, and her openness to new horizons. 

The tradition of malouf is one of the most emblematic in Tunisian music, with roots dating back to the music from Al-Andalus that arrived from the Iberian Peninsula in the fifteenth century. This genre is characterized by its complex and refined structure, based on suites called nūba, which combine sung poetry with melodies performed by ensembles containing traditional instruments such as the ʿūd (Arabic oud), the qanun (sitar), the violin and the darbuka (drum). Malouf represents not only an artistic expression, but also a form of cultural heritage deeply linked to Tunisian identity. It is usually performed only during special occasions, ceremonies and cultural events, and has been preserved as a result of the efforts by institutions such as the Tunisian Music Institute and several other groups that continue to pass this age-old art down from one generation to the next. 

Syrine Ben Moussa is a native of Testour, an emblematic city for the style of malouf in Tunisia. From an early age, she has been guided by a two-fold passion: a profound knowledge about musical traditions, and the living transmission of this legacy to today’s audiences. After training at the conservatory, Ben Moussa has established herself as an outstanding scholar. She holds a PhD in Music and Musicology from the Sorbonne University, a dual Master’s degree in Audiovisual Heritage Management and an MBA in e-Business. This unique profile allows her to approach music not only from the perspective of a performer, but also as a researcher, educator and cultural manager. Since 2005, she has been performing as a soloist on prestigious international stages. Her repertoire uses sensitivity to explore the classical music of the Maghreb region, the legacy of Al-Andalus and creative fusions with other traditions. In addition to her artistic career, Syrine is the founder and president of the association Tuni Culture, dedicated to promoting Tunisian artistic heritage in France. She has also been the artistic director for the Festival of Sacred Music in Paris (2016-2019) and has been giving classes in Arab-Andalusian singing in collaboration with the City of Paris since 2012. 

Dahmane Khalfa is a percussionist. Born in Algiers, Dahmane Khalfa grew up surrounded by music in a family of music lovers and performers. He began his career with Algeria’s National Orchestra of Radio and Television, and soon came in contact with some of the great figures in music. He teaches the darbuka at the CAP in Aulnay-sous-Bois and regularly offers workshops with other leading percussionists in Europe. He has also authored a method for learning to play the darbuka with a CD, devoted to rhythms from the Maghreb. Iyadh Labbene is a violinist, composer and musicologist who graduated from the Sorbonne. 

Iyadh Labbene began his studies at the conservatory at a very young age, having earned his diploma in Arabic music at the age of 15. He has composed several soundtracks, written and arranged for large orchestras, and regularly accompanies well-known performers in Tunisia and Europe. Furthermore, he was the first Tunisian to obtain a diploma in film music composition at the École Normale de Musique in Paris.