For over 25 years, Pär Moberg (saxophones) has been deeply inspired by music from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and India. For the last 10 years, he’s been a driving force behind the concert series Baghdad Sessions, and as a frequent leader of the band, he’s had a major dose of Arabic music under his belt. In 2022, he finally felt ready to present a quartet with experienced musicians who perform his compositions, to the World! The compositions are heavily inspired by music from the traditions mentioned above, but with a clear Mobergian touch. The music stretches from the meditative to the danceable, with a lot of room for improvisation.
Members of the Quartet
All members of the group are prominent musicians in their respective traditions, and contribute a lot to the group’s unique sound.
Susan Scabrough Syverson, harp, is an active freelance harpist, on both pedal harp and folk harp, in classical music as well as folk and world music. She also works as the harp teacher at the Arts school in Kristianstad.
Bader Debs, oriental percussion, is one of the leading percussionists in Oriental music in Europe. He has his background in Syria and has toured all over the Middle East with various artists. He’s now studying the Individual program at the Academy of Music in Malmö to broaden his skills.
Nabil Kassis, qanoun. Not only one of the world’s top qanoun players, but also the world’s top qanoun builder. In Aleppo, Syria, he had his workshop, which was a center of Arabic music, and from which he exported qanouns throughout the Middle East. Today, he is Sweden’s only arts school teacher in qanoun, in Eslöv, Malmö and Helsingborg.
Pär Moberg, saxophones and other wind instruments, has a background in Swedish folk music, but has also immersed himself in several other musical traditions throughout his life, and plays with groups such as Tummel, Mazguf Ensemble and Nordic Raga. He is also the course director of the folk and world music programs in Malmö.
Music
Here are videos from two songs performed at our debut concert!
Previous and upcoming concerts
On the 19th of October 2023, Sakhra Quartet had its debut concert at Moriska Paviljongen in Malmö. The concert was a part of Malmö Folk Festival, and the concert series The Baghdad Sessions. We are now looking for more concert opportunities. Please contact Evolving Traditions!