Bayngels

Come check out the Bayngels on the Plaza for an awesome combination of talents of Ali Paris and Briana Di Mara…

Ali Paris captivates audiences worldwide with his unique fusion of Middle Eastern and Western music styles highlighted by both technical virtuosity and emotional expression. He accompanies his singing with his instrument, the Qanun, a rare 76-string zither that dates back to the 14th century and is played by only a handful of people across the globe.

Ali’s music education began at the age of 5 in his native countries of Morocco and Palestine studying Arabic traditional music with master Simon Shaheen. He quickly became known as a child prodigy, performing by age 9 and touring internationally by the age of 12.

Since then he has received multiple International awards including the Artist of the Year (2004-2007) and has expanded his musical career exponentially, relocating to the United States to earn his degree at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He has collaborated with a long list of world-renowned artists such as Alicia Keys, Quincy Jones, Javier Limon and Bobby McFerrin. His solo performances have reached diverse audiences from the Newport to the Istanbul Jazz Festival and from the White House to the Royal Palace in Jordan to play for both the President of Palestine and the Queen of Jordan. He has appeared as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Philharmonic and is featured in the renowned Grammy-winning Spanish documentary “Entre2aguas”and the Hollywood movie “Noah”, These appearances were the first to feature the Qanun as a multi-genre instrument on a grand scale. Ali has also collaborated with numerous world-renowned artists to benefit the work of doctors without borders and keep a child alive including a duet song with Spanish star Alejandro Sanz.

Eclectic violinist Briana Di Mara brings her love of the instrument and its myriad voices to every performance. She was trained in western classical music as a child and has since gone on to study a variety of traditional styles including Celtic, Balkan, Persian, and Arabic. She harmoniously weaves these influences into own unique sound, as well as into her original compositions. She is known for her evocative improvisations and amazing ability to play a broad range of genres from many different cultures.

Briana has performed and recorded with numerous artists in the Bay Area and beyond and enjoys teaching students of all ages.

Her debut album, “Haven”, has earned rave reviews and reflects the amazing collaborations that she has built around her compositions. More info here

For more info, check out the new On the Plaza schedule.