Dans le sillage de l'orient - Syrie

The repertoire of the Sawt Al-Chark duo, composed by Issam Charifi and sung by Samar Charifi, features Arabic poetry and classical Arabic songs and music from the repertoires of Arab legends such as Oum Kalsoum, traditional songs from Aleppo, a repertoire known around the world through the Syrian legend Sabah Fakhri, and finally, Aramaic sacred chants and oud improvisation and other musical pieces composed by Issam Charifi.

Samar Charifi began her career at a very young age: from earliest childhood, her voice gave her the ability to sing the most demanding Arabic melodies (such as the songs of Oum Kalsoum). She continued her studies in opera singing at the National Conservatoire of Damascus in SYRIA until her arrival in France in 1998, where she continued her opera studies at the Conservatoire National de Région de Strasbourg.

Since 1989, she has worked with Issam Charifi, who had her study Arabic music and classical Arabic singing after discovering her extraordinary voice.

She won the first prize at the Syrian song festival in 1994 and 1996, together with Issam Charifi. Issam Charifi began music in childhood by studying Western classical violin. At the age of 16, he took up the oriental lute (oud), with which he became an accomplished artist.

In 1989 he met Samar Boulboul, with whom he founded the ensemble (La Voix D'Orient) in Syria.

The ensemble's repertoire consists either of classical Arabic singing, such as that of Oum Kalsoum, or of compositions by Issam Charifi, who continues in the field of classical Arabic music.

The group has won several competitions and taken part in numerous Syrian festivals.