Rihab Azar
Rihab Azar is a Syrian oud player, composer and community workshop leader, and graduate of the conservatoire of Damascus (2014).
Rihab was the first woman oudist to perform accompanied by the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music (2014), and she was a member in a pioneering women-only ensemble throughout her early career years in Syria. Strongly influenced by Middle-Eastern music, as well as frequently collaborating with musicians, ensembles and orchestras across different genres, Rihab has played and written music for multidisciplinary projects involving storytelling, visual arts, TV programmes, film, radio and theatre plays.
She has toured in the UK and several countries with different ensembles and orchestras and has played in several iconic venues, festivals and concert series.
In her community workshop work, Rihab has collaborated with several organisations such as Wigmore Hall, ASMF, Sinfonia Viva, The Horniman Museum and others. Rihab is currently recording her debut album of original music to be released in 2026.
