Camoon Middle Eastern Ensemble with Yuval Ashkar (oud, percussion, vocals), Phil Carroll (accordion, ney flute, duduk, vocals) and Michael Kontochristos (drums) now plays on Thursday nights at the front bar of Claypots Seafood Restaurant in St Kilda.
Yuval Ashkar is a composer, oud (’ud) player, percussionist is internationally-acclaimed musician from Israel. His music is an inspiration to audiences, belly dancers and other musicians. Yuval is also a teacher of oud playing and Middle Eastern percussion. Yuval has evolved his unique style of oud playing through the synthesis of Turkish, Iraqi, Egyptian and North African musical influences and techniques.
Phil Carroll has been studying Arabic and Turkish ney flute as well as other instruments for 15 years. He has lived in Turkey over the last couple of years, playing and furthering his studies. He was leader of the middle-eastern band Yalla! for 11 years.
Michael Kontochristos has established himself as being one of Melbourne’s most versatile percussionists and educators. He is proficient in music styles from around the world specialising in Middle Eastern, Latin, Brazilian and Flamenco.
Thursday from 8:30 to 11pm
Claypots Seafood Restaurant
213 Barkly St , St Kilda, Victoria
(03) 9534 1282
On the 4th of October we will get opertunity to celbrate again the love for dance and music.
The Row Honey festival will be held in Bangalow N.S.W. It is a fantastic place for dance with all your family.
In the mornnig there will be children workshop . I will teach belly dance for children and teanager .In the afternoon there will be an adult belly dance workshop with LIVE MUSIC BY YUVAL ASHKAR.
In the night the big concert with all the teacher and CAMOON will make a great dance party for all
As an oud (‘ud) player, Yuval Ashkar has a very unique style, which he also teaches to his students. Yuval brings music styles from various cultures – Egyptian, Persian, Turkish (maqam or taqasim) and Jewish (piyutim) – blending them together and improvising on them.
Yuval’s teaching style is soft and encouraging, helping his students explore their inner joy of music and bringing their spirit to life through playing.
Yuval says:
“My music is not about technique. It comes from the soul. I believe that if you have the music inside you, you can play whatever you want.”
Get inspired, develop your skills for listening and playing and enjoy yourself with Yuval Ashkar, an oud teacher with a world-class playing style, in a friendly atmosphere.
Darbuka and Arabic Percussion Playing Classes
Yuval Ashkar is a gifted player on the darbuka, daff, zarb, reg and other Arabic percussion instruments. Through his warm and caring teaching, he passes his passion and skills to his students.
“I teach a blend of eastern and western, classic and contemporary music. My drumming workshops are open to everyone. You do not need to be a ‘muso’, just come!”
Here is Yuval Ashkar playing the zarb (Persian drum):
Get excited, develop your sense of rhythm and enjoy yourself with Yuval Ashkar, an inspiring Middle Eastern percussionist and teacher.
Belly Dance Classes
Ayelet Ashkar is an expressive and sensual belly dancer. In her belly dance classes, Ayelet appeals to the feminine side of her students and helps them unleash it through their belly dance movements, creating a supportive circle of women friends.
Ayelet is an experienced and compassionate teachers, who encourages and shares her knowledge with lots of fun and laughter.
Ayelet says:
“My workshops are about expressions through belly dance.
I teach you how to get in touch with your creativity, stories and dreams, how to open your mind to a new language of belly dance movements. Explore yourself. Feel encouraged to surprise yourself. Bring your inner storyteller to life through the dance.
There is magic in this way of teaching. I show you how to become one with the music. By visualizing the movement, you learn how to move and improvise.”
Here is Some Feedback Ayelet Has Received
You have been for me the paramount of the art of belly dancing as well as of the right method to teach belly dancing. I find both your art and your teaching have been genuinely transmitted to you and cultivated by you and your teachers in Israel . Each class i have attended has been for me a wonderful dip in middle eastern culture: essence, music, rhythms, humour and spirit. You have also helped me to connect with my femininity, my belly, my guts, my love for life. It is more than dancing and feeling great in my body, it is also a life experience. Heartfelt thanks to you”.
- Monique
“I love Ayelet’s classes. She creates a beautiful, safe space for feminine expression. Ayelet doesn’t just teach steps and dance but, encourages her students to honor and know their bodies. Through improvisation we are encouraged to feel and express our own unique dance. I finish each class with my body and soul healed from the pressures of my week”.
- Eva Grace
Ayelet has a special ability to encourage and bring out each person’s inner dancer.
What I enjoyed most about Ayelet’s classes was the playful, storytelling aspect of her dance interpretations. And what I gained most from her tuition was the confidence to have more fun, be more daring and take more risks in performing…
- Lilith
Get fit, relax and enjoy yourself with Ayelet Ashkar,
a belly dance teacher with deep understanding
and a loving heart.
Ashkar Music & Dance composes, performs and records authentic Middle Eastern music – Arabic music, Persian music Turkish music and Oriental Jewish music – including improvisations on the Arabic and Turkish Maqams (Taqasim). Featuring a unique playing style on the oud (‘ud), our music comes from the soul.
Here is a sample track from our latest Middle Eastern music CD “Camoon” for your enjoyment (on Internet Explorer, click the icon to activate, then click to stop, rewind and replay).
Yasu:
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If you like what you hear, you can buy Yasu on our latest CD “Camoon”, along with 8 additional tracks of traditional Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Jewish music, including 4 original pieces composed by Yuval Ashkar. Here is what you will get:
Performing their exciting middle eastern music and belly dance show, Ayelet and Yuval Ashkar will be appearing in this “Arabian Nights” extravaganza on the 27th of October from 7pm at the Ocean Shores Community Centre. The show starts at 8pm, followed by a wild and exotic dance party into the night!
Yuval Ashkar is a composer, oud (‘ud) player, percussionist is internationally-acclaimed musician from Israel. His music is an inspiration to audiences, belly dancers and other musicians.
Yuval has evolved his unique style of oud playing through the synthesis of Turkish, Iraqi, Egyptian and North African musical influences and techniques.
Yuval was born in Israel to an accomplished musical family. His father, from an Iraqi-Afghan background, was a master trumpet player and teacher who performed with Israeli orchestras all over the world.
Yuval began his training with a famous Israeli oud player, Yair Dalal. He then broadened his studies by learning the Arabic style from Arabic oud master Gussan Harb, the Turkish style from Turkish oud virtuoso Mehmet Emin Bitmez and percussions from master Egyptian percussionist Hossam Ramzy.
In year 2000, Yuval joined a flamenco guitarist and a saz (Turkish string instrument) player performing as an Andalusian ensemble. During the same year, he was part of a belly dance project with the group of Miri Alon.
In 2001, Yuval performed at “Metulla International Festival” with Ladino singer Yaheli Toren and famous jazz pianist Davis Coleman.
In 2002, Yuval was invited to perform with Ladino singer Yasmin Levi in a special performance in Istanbul, Turkey. He also composed music for theatre and films, including a short film, which won the “European Short Film Festival”.
Since his arrival in Byron bay (Australia) in 2003, Yuval Ashkar has created music and projects with local artists and international musicians. He has performed several times at the Woodford Folk Festival with Guy Madigan and Ayelet Ashkar.
In 2003, Yuval recorded his first solo album, called “Maayan” – Traditional Middle Eastern tunes, songs in Hebrew from “The Song of Songs” and his own original compositions. Yuval was invited to perform for the Brisbane Ethnic Music and Arts Centre (BEMAC) and other special events in NSW and QLD – 2005 Global Carnival at Bellingen, 2006 Spiegeltent in Brisbane during Multicultural Festival and Middle Eastern Festival. Yuval was also part of the successful music and dance camp “Bahar Bayram” as a teacher and performer. Yuval was the musical director and a performer in “Arabian Nights”, which became a tradition of Middle Eastern evenings with music and dance, gathering the best local and international musicians and combining instruments from eastern and western countries to create a magnificent fusion.
In 2007, Yuval Ashkar recorded his second album, called “Camoon“, with Guy Madigan and Cleis Pearce. In this album, Yuval created an atmosphere of traditional and contemporary music.
Since 2007, Yuval Ashkar has played at the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Fabricate in Perth and Bahar Bayram at Bamedam Camp in QLD.
In Australia, Yuval has worked with a large range of musicians – Cleis Pearce, Greg Sheehan, Greg Lyons, The Romaniacs, Dursun, Akdash, Andy Busuttil, Kurdish Earth – and has had the honour of playing with oud master Christos Baltzidis at his 80th birthday.
Yuval thrills his audience with his touching music and magical technique, both coming from his soul.
“My music is full of spirit. It is a unique blend of cultures, eastern and western, ancient and modern, classes and contemporary, with melodies that will touch deeply inside you.”
Catch Yuval playing at Claypots Seafood Restaurant (213 Barkly St, St Kilda) every Thursday evening from 8:30 to 11pm with Phil Carroll and Michael Kontochristos
Camoon Middle Eastern Ensemble with Yuval Ashkar (oud, percussion, vocals), Phil Carroll (accordion, ney flute, duduk, vocals) and Michael Kontochristos (drums) now plays on Thursday nights at the front bar of Claypots Seafood Restaurant in St Kilda.
Ayelet Ashkar
In 2003, Yuval recorded his first solo album, called “Maayan” – Traditional Middle Eastern tunes, songs in Hebrew from “The Song of Songs” and his own original compositions. Yuval was invited to perform for the Brisbane Ethnic Music and Arts Centre (BEMAC) and other special events in NSW and QLD – 2005 Global Carnival at Bellingen, 2006 Spiegeltent in Brisbane during Multicultural Festival and Middle Eastern Festival. Yuval was also part of the successful music and dance camp “Bahar Bayram” as a teacher and performer. Yuval was the musical director and a performer in “Arabian Nights”, which became a tradition of Middle Eastern evenings with music and dance, gathering the best local and international musicians and combining instruments from eastern and western countries to create a magnificent fusion.