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Galilee Quartet perform in London and Oxford


The Galilee Quartet will be performing at St James’s Piccadilly this Sunday 4 June, in a special concert sponsored by Amos Trust, working with Palmusic UK, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967.

On Tuesday they will give a concert in Oxford.

These dynamic teenage musicians from the Galilee perform a richly diverse programme of Oriental and Western classical music for strings and voices with infectious charisma and flair.

When 16-year old Palestinian violin prodigy Mostafa Saad played with Nigel Kennedy at Bethlehem Unwrapped at St James’s Piccadilly in January 2014, his older brother Omar, viola player in the Galilee Quartet, was in prison for refusing military service in Israel.

As a Palestinian Druze family with Israeli citizenship, the Saad brothers are eligible for conscription. Omar’s Facebook letter to Israel’s prime minister went viral in 2012.

His only weapon was music, he wrote, “I will not be the fuel to the fire of your war.” Later, in an interview with the Evening Standard, he said, “I can’t imagine myself playing music with my friends, and the next day with the IDF at the checkpoint, humiliating them. This [orchestra] is my second family. I can’t replace my instrument with an assault rifle that can kill my own brother…”

The Saad brothers, Omar (viola), Mostafa (violin) and Ghandhi (violin), shot to international prominence at the 2013 BBC Proms, appearing with Nigel Kennedy and the Palestine Strings, and winning the hearts of audience and critics alike.

“Hauntingly beautiful” was The Independent’s verdict, while BBC Music Magazine praised their “Mesmerising Arabic style… sinuous, silky-toned melismas from violin, viola and voice… projecting like melancholy muezzin calls into the hall.”

Playing his viola solo was the easy part, said Omar, “But when Mostafa played and Ghandhi sang, my heart was beating fast.” The warmth of their bond as siblings and musicians embraces their 18-year old cellist sister Tibah, who completes the Galilee Quartet.

Watch the Galilee Quartet with Nigel Kennedy, playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons at the Royal Albert Hall here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4RAyVLEEtw

The London concert on Sunday 4 June, at 7.45pm, in St James's Church, Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL , also features Maya Khaldi.

Book tickets for the London show.

The Oxford concert on Tuesday 6 June, Oxford at 7.30pm, takes place in St Margaret’s Church, 19 St Margaret’s Road, Oxford OX2 6RX

Book tickets for the Oxford concert.

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