Reza is a musician, performer, composer, teacher and visual artist who was born in Tehran, Iran and migrated to Western Australia in 2000.

He studied Persian Classical Music on setar (a long neck lute) as well as Western Classical Music on guitar. He has also studied jazz guitar at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and Western Art Music and Visual Arts at the University of Western Australia.

Reza is widely known on the local music scene as a fantastic saz player, and where he has been performing since 2009, including with the widely celebrated Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble. He has regularly performed in a range of ensembles in Perth, at Fairbridge and Nannup music festivals, regional WA touring and interstate including the National Folk Festival and more. Reza has recorded several albums and composed for all groups he performs with. Reza’s composition ‘Rumi in Song’ was a highlight of Bembina’s programs, and he continues to both compose and improvise with many high level and diverse ensembles. Reza is “excited to continue collaborating with this diverse group of vibrant, skilled and passionate musicians.”

Julia began her musical journey on violin at age four in Albany, South Western Australia. A childhood immersed in the music of many world cultures, travel and adventure, undoubtably influenced her musical trajectory. Julia completed Bachelor of music at the University of Western Australia under renowned Violinist Paul Wright; and Masters of Research on Violin at Edith Cowan University under internationally acclaimed violinist Alexandre Da Costa. Julia’s Masters research focused on the collaborative possibilities of Western Art Music, particularly Baroque repertoire, and Middle Eastern musical traditions meet.

Julia trained with today's leaders of Tango in 2019, from Buenos Aries, and is a founding member of Perth Tango Orchestra. Julia attended Silkroad Ensemble’s Global Musician Workshop, including tuition from Arabic music specialist, the late Bassam Saba, co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra and exponent of both Western Classical and Arabic musical traditions. Training with David Dolan of Guildhall, London in the art of Classical Improvisation contributed to her research. Julia attended a residency at Banff Centre for Creativity, Canada, where she developed her project Soulitude performing Bach’s D min Solo Violin Partita alongside Persian Radif. In 2019 Julia furthered her studies in the Persian Classical system, attending lessons with Kamencheh Master Shervin Mohajer in Tehran, Iran.

Julia performs with Perth Symphony Orchestra, Australian Baroque, WA Philharmonic, and Fremantle Chamber Orchestra, and has performed nationally and internationally including tours within Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe, USA and Canada.

Julia is Artistic Director of Bembina Ensemble, exploring intersections of Middle Eastern and Western Art Music in a multitude of cross-cultural creations that have been delighting and inspiring Perth audiences since the groups creation in 2021.

Alix grew up in Perth and began learning the violin at the age of four. In early high school, Alix was encouraged to take up the viola for the WA Youth Orchestra and went on to obtain both a Bachelor of Music (violin) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) under the guidance of Peter Tanfield as well as a Master of Research (viola) also at WAAPA under the guidance of Alexandre Da Costa and Berian Evans, specialising in the virtuosic viola repertoire of twentieth century English composer Benjamin Dale.

Alix has also studied with internationally renowned teachers and ensembles - most notably William Coleman from the Kuss Quartet in Austria as well as the Silkroad Ensemble (Boston), Tafel Music Summer Academy (Toronto), Mattheiser Sommer Akademie (Sobernheim), Mozarteum Summer Academy (Salzburg) and the Orchestra De La Francophonie (Montreal).

Closer to home, Alix is known as a lead violist in the Perth music scene and performs regularly as both a chamber and orchestral musician with Australian Baroque, Aquila, Flamingo Strings, Perth Symphony Orchestra, Perth Chamber Orchestra, the Orenda Ensemble, and the West Australian Philharmonic.

Alix is a founding member of the Bembina Ensemble and loves introducing audiences to new soundscapes and cultures through the ensemble’s diverse and vibrant programmes. “Music has the ability to transport us through time and space, and the way that can make any wall in this world feel permeable, to me, feels magical.”

Michael was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon where his passion for music took hold at the age of nine when he began learning the trombone. By age 13, Michael had fallen for the mesmerising tones of the oud which led him to study at the esteemed Conservatoire of Music in Beirut.

Over the years, Michael has graced the stage alongside many renowned Lebanese musicians and vocalists. In 2014, he embarked on a new musical journey to Perth, Australia where he has collaborated with a number of diverse world music ensembles.

Michael joined the Bembina Ensemble from the start in 2021 and his mission is to delight audiences with the enchanting sounds of Middle Eastern music, masterfully expressed through his skilful oud playing.

Iman was born and raised in Iran and started playing the tombak and daf when he was ten years old. Recognised for his natural talent, Iman was tutored to play the tombak by prominent Iranian maestros including Arzhang Kamkar, Jamshid Mohebbi and Bahman Rajabi. He also learned to play the daf from Masoud Habibi.

Over his 25-year career, Iman has played with various ensembles and Persian musical maestros, such as the Vaziri Orchestra (composer Keyvan Saket), the Dalahoo Daf Group (composer Masood Habibi) and arrangements with Majid Derakhshani. He has taken part in many concerts in Tehran and has performed on several albums in Iran such as A Night with The Sun; and Hamaseye Iran Zamin

Iman is a regular on the festival circuit in both Iran and Australia and has performed on several occasions with the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Alongside his musical accomplishments, Iman has a Master of Science in Engineering. He joined the Bembina Ensemble in 2023 and says of his beloved instruments “the daf and tombak are my kids and I cannot live without them!”.

Saeed is from Iran and began learning to play the Tombak – a Persian hand drum - at 12 years old, under the guidance of Ostad Darius Eshaghi.

Saeed is recognised as a very skilled percussionist and has recently performed at the Fairbridge Festival, and the Festival of Voice in Denmark, at WOMADelaide with the Tara Tiba band, with whom Saeed has also performed internationally including at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Saeed is a founding member of Bembina Ensemble. Keep an eye out for this vibrant instrument – as Saeed explains: “there are many techniques in the Tombak musical instrument, and this has made the instrument versatile and soundly diverse. Tombak is one of the most complex and layered percussion instruments in the world.”

Teresa Vinci is a professional violinist and performs with a wide range of ensembles, working primarily with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO). She also performs with the WA Philharmonic, Perth Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and Australian Baroque, and enjoys freelancing with several local ensembles. Internationally, she has performed with the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra (Singapore) several times as well as the Orchestre de la Francophonie (Montréal), where she was Concertmaster for their 2016 and 2017 seasons.

In 2018, Teresa was invited to perform with the Orchestre de la Francophonie at the Busan International Music Festival (South Korea). In 2016, Teresa travelled to Abu Dhabi and China with WASO for its International Tour and has also performed with WASO on several of its Regional Tours.

Teresa performs with local ensemble AQUILA which specialises in pop/rock music and she is also a founding member of Flamingo Strings, which is an educational string quartet that provides school workshops and performances. Teresa has a strong interest in Hungarian and Romanian folk music and performs with the band Hot Paprika at Western Australian cultural festivals and events, as well as nationwide conventions and concerts. In 2017, Teresa travelled to Hungary to expand her knowledge and repertoire of folk music and in 2011, she travelled through Eastern Europe, including Transylvania, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, having lessons and learning traditional folk music from village musicians and prominent folk bands.

In 2019, Teresa completed a Master of Arts (Performing Arts) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) where she studied with international soloist Alexandre Da Costa. She also had the opportunity to learn from several world class musicians during a Masters study trip to Hungary and Belgium in 2017. It was professionally rewarding in undertaking lessons with Roby Lakatos and having the opportunity to perform with his band in Brussels. In 2015, Teresa performed in the Maxim Vengerov Masterclass in Perth. Teresa completed her Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in 2010 where she studied under Shaun Lee-Chen.

Teresa is a founding member of Bembina Ensemble and loves exploring Middle Eastern music. “The combination of musicians, instruments and personalities leads to magic on stage every time!”

Sara grew up in Perth and began playing violin in primary school. She was awarded a music scholarship at Perth Modern School and following that graduated with a Bachelor of Music Performance in violin from the University of Western Australia. During this time Sara also studied and performed in Germany with members of the Munich Philharmonic.

Sara has performed regularly with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra as well as many chamber ensembles throughout Western Australia and was one of the founding musicians of the Perth Symphony Orchestra. More recently, Sara has been involved with the Perth Tango Orchestra.

Sara’s accomplished career as a musician has led her to a rapidly developing career as a conductor and in 2022, she made her debut with the Perth Symphony Orchestra conducting Iain Farrington’s arrangement of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. Sara has been a participant in Perth Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Women on the Podium’ program, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Emerging Conductors’ program and in 2024, will be involved in workshops with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, as well as studying conducting in Adelaide with Luke Dollman.

Sara is a founding member of the Bembina Ensemble and is passionate about exploring Middle Eastern music, sounds and styles of playing. She particularly loves Bembina’s approach to experimentation and unique collaborations.

Zakaria was born and raised in Syria and has been playing the darbuka and riq since he was nine years old. Zakaria was trained by his uncle, who was considered one of the most skilled percussionists in Syria. When he was 18, Zakaria also began learning the ney (an Arabian flute).

Over his career, Zakaria has played hundreds of concerts in various countries, in both small and large ensembles, and has played alongside renowned Arab singers. An accomplished player, Zakaria also composes and has developed his own unique style mixing Arabic and Turkish styles. He has recently founded a YouTube channel where he publishes his compositions in collaboration with various musicians and currently, Zakaria has more than a million followers on social media. Zakaria also holds drumming workshops for interested students coming from non-Arab backgrounds.

Despite his skills across the many instruments Zakaria has trained in, the darbuka remains his favourite due to its very distinctive drumming sound. Playing the darbuka requires strenuous training as it relies entirely on the fingers, and this requires him to continuously strengthen the hand nerves and muscles.

Zakaria started playing with the Bembina Ensemble in 2023 and has described it as “one of the most beautiful experiences because of the differences in the musical styles.”

Afshin was born in Iran and is a traditional and classical Iranian singer. Afshin started learning to sing at the age of 16 and has been trained by several renowned vocalists including Hamid-Reza Noorbakhsh and Mohesen Keramati.

Afshin completed his associate degree in music from Baháí Institute for Higher Education in Iran. He has performed in many concerts and festivals across Iran, Turkey, and Australia as well as on Iranian TV and has recently completed an Australian tour with Majid Darakhshani who is a well-known Iranian musician (Tar player) and composer.

Afshin has previously performed with Bembina Ensemble, including on the Rumi in Song programme. Afshin has also released a number of his own vocal compositions and also works as a vocalist teacher.

Since his arrival to Australia in 2014, Danilo da Paz has been a prominent force in the Australian music scene, gaining widespread recognition. Bringing his extensive knowledge and love for Brazilian music with him, he has worked tirelessly to make music accessible to be enjoyed by all communities within Australia, has pioneered many highly successful projects that have allowed collaboration of a multitude of different cultures to come together and unite through music. His artistic expertise also extends beyond Brazilian music, encompassing many other diverse styles and cultural sounds, establishing him as an invaluable member in the community and music industry.

Miranda is from Perth and started performing the cello at high school. They went on to study Classical Performance at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and Miranda freelances often with groups around Perth such as the Fremantle Chamber Orchestra, Perth Symphony Orchestra, and the Cygnus Arioso Chamber Orchestra.

A professional highlight for Miranda so far has been leading the cello section of the Orchestra de la Francophonie in Montreal and an educational highlight was winning the Royal Over-Seas League Bach Prize.

Miranda is passionate about premiering new works, playing in high-level chamber ensembles, and supporting and propelling new composers in the music industry. They have recorded for Stella Donnelly, Noah Dillon, Demon Days, Grievous Bodily Calm, Cecilia Brandolini and others. 

“The art of collaboration and trying to feel the music as one in a group is indescribable and so special.”

Madeleine is from Albany in Western Australia and began playing violin at the age of six with her inspiring teacher Philip Noer. Madeleine holds a Bachelor in Classical music performance from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and has also studied at the Prague Conservatory of Music.

Madeleine is a member of the Perth Symphony Orchestra, and she has toured with orchestras throughout Canada, China and Europe. In addition, she creates original music with her bands Selfless Orchestra and Baba! Yaga! and as a solo artist has released two albums. She is a passionate advocate for social rights and environmental justice, and those themes permeate her original compositions.

Madeleine has joined the Bembina Ensemble to play in the Constantinople and Zumorrod Baile programmes. She loves collaborating with the Ensemble’s wonderful players and sharing the cultural traditions of music with audiences around the world.

Hailing from the coast of the South West, Sarah Saunders is a freelance pianist, piano accordionist, accompanist and educator. A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance in 2008, Sarah was awarded the Cecilia Daff Scholarship for Most Outstanding Pianist. 2009 then saw her spend an extended period of time in Europe studying with world-renowned concert pianists including the Impressionist expert, Paul Roberts.

Attracted to the community and diversity of world music, Sarah became invested in the music of Argentine Tango and was quickly swept away into what was to become an obsession. In 2014 she embarked upon an intense residency in Buenos Aires, Argentina, learning from world leaders in Tango performance and arrangement and in 2015, travelled to Portland, Oregon to perform in the Orquesta Tipia as the principal pianist alongside her Argentine Tango heroes for the Portland Chamber Music Festival.

Sarah has spent close to a decade recording and performing regularly with various Tango ensembles at Fringe Festival, Fairbridge Folk Festival, numerous concert series across Perth and the South West and is the accordionist in local Irish band, The Rogues.

As the creator and musical director of the Perth Tango Orchestra, co-founder of Tango Noir, and fostering the growth of the Tango across various educational platforms, Sarah is passionate about delivering this rich art form and it’s many sub-genres to ignite audiences with it’s infectious energy to all.

Kirsty was born in Scotland where she started learning double bass aged 10 years old. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Music Degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and continued her studies with Jiri Hudec, Principal Double Bass of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra – finishing with a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction. Her early performance career began with the National Children’s Orchestra of Scotland and National Youth Orchestra of Scotland including playing at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, London. During her studies she played with orchestras including Britten-Peers Symphony Orchestra and The Hallé.

Kirsty moved to Perth in 2008 where she lives with her husband and three children. In Perth she regularly plays as a freelance double bassist with orchestras such as the Perth Symphony Orchestra and WA Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as smaller chamber groups performing music from tango and contemporary to classical. She has tutored at the Perth Summer Orchestra Camp and the West Australian Youth Orchestra in which many of her students play.

Kirsty has been with Bembina Ensemble from the start and alongside teaches double bass and directs string orchestras at Perth schools. She is passionate about teaching and the community outreach side of music and loves to share the joy of the double bass with her students and audiences.

Sacha is from Perth and holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Honours) from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts as well as a Master of Arts from the Royal Academy of Music in London (having studied under Felix Schmidt).  

She has been the recipient of 16 various scholarships and awards and is the alumnus of several chamber music programs including the Australian International Chamber Music Festivals Emerging Artists program and the European Chamber Music Academy Wiener Sessions where she had the privilege of studying under Johannes Meissl, Jerome Pernoo and Hatto Beyerle.

Sacha’s performance career has seen her travel the globe, having taken the stage across Europe, Britain, America and Canada. In London Sacha has been privileged to perform in notable venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth and Purcell Rooms, and Cadogan Hall. Here in Australia, in addition to her work with the Bembina Ensemble, Sacha is a member of Magellan Ensemble and performs with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Perth Symphony Orchestra.

Sacha plays on a beautiful William Forster II Cello c.1780-1790.

Laurissa grew up in Perth/Boorloo and started learning the piano at age two, the violin at age seven and then composing from age 11. She is classically trained in Western Art Music and is a multi-award-winning graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Laurissa pursued post-graduate study in Hungary studying under Katalin Kiss DLA, Dr. Orsolya Szabó and János Vajda and launched her professional career as a violinist and director in the Arabian Peninsula.

Laurissa has been Music Director for the South Side Symphony Orchestra, conducted for the Department of Education’s Gifted and Talented music programs and Perth’s Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Alongside her work with the Bembina Ensemble, Laurissa regularly conducts the Perth Symphony Orchestra and arranges for the Western Australian ‘Tender is the Night’ series.

Laurissa has an avid interest in collaborating with artists of diverse backgrounds and values the exchange of perspectives, skills and ideas these opportunities present. Laurissa has worked with artists of national and international renown as well as grassroots musicians in a range of styles including historical eurocentric music, new music, film scores, opera, pop, rock, sound art, electronic, dance and both traditional and art music from various cultures, most notably Arabic, Persian, Celtic and Indigenous. 

“Working in music is a continuous highlight reel. It is a privilege to be in a position to dedicate my time to this art form and I am grateful every day that I am able to work in this industry. “

Geoffrey is from Marmion in Perth. He began learning the clarinet when he was ten years old and launched his career as a proud member of his primary school brass brand. Geoffrey went on to pursue his musical education at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and then the University of Western Australia School of Music.

Geoffrey was the principal clarinettist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2008 and has also performed as a guest principal with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.

Geoffrey has a curiosity for diverse musical traditions and has recently performed with an Iranian ensemble and is currently exploring the styles of Turkish clarinettists. Alongside his on-stage commitments, Geoffrey also oversaw the Blackwood Chamber Festival - Western Australia’s longest running chamber music festival - in 2018 and 2019. Geoffrey is delighted to have joined Bembina in 2024.