Zaii Zaman is an ensemble which, as its name indicates, remains faithful to many traditions of Arabic music, through the format of the ensemble and music they perform.
Founded in 2014 by violinist and composer Ahmed Hassan, Zaii Zaman evokes nostalgia and longing for Egypt’s artistic Golden Age (1940s-1960s) trying to fuse the yawning gap that separates the present from the past, including in the cultural arena, since the intervening decades have brought about a lot of changes.
Zaii Zaman had given several concerts in the few years following their formation, often taking their music into historical interiors such as those of the 17th-century Beit Al-Suhaymi, the 14th-century
Beshtak Palace and the Manasterly Palace.
Beshtak Palace and the Manasterly Palace.
In over 30 concerts Zaii Zaman gave, they performed as quartet, quintet or sextet, with a line-up featuring Hassan on violin alongside known musicians on cello, qanoun, double bass, ney, riq and percussion.
In April 2023 Zaii Zaman returned in a quartet format (violin, oud, double bass and percussion) with a performance at the Tahrir Cultural Centre.
The concert on 8 June at the Goethe Institut’s Shubbak El Fann will also feature nay and a singer.
