Hug the Frontline 

Over the past seven years, The Piyut Ensemble has been formulating its unique choral style, drawing inspiration from the North African and Middle Eastern traditions of liturgical poetry, synagogue melodies, and a free-ranging search through the world’s music.

For the past two years, since comorade/philosopher/singer Yosef Abehsira became a member of the Ensemble, we found ourselves diving deep down into the very source of the liturgical poetry of the Abehsira dynasty of rabbis, learning the mystical poems of the Tafilalet region of southern Morocco, with their special musical tradition. Gradually, the members of the Piyyut Ensemble have created their own original, fresh interpretation, based on a vibrant circle of multiple voices and a rhythmical, festive and intense clapping.

The Piyut Ensemble has performed at the Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival (2014) and several other piyyut festivals; with the New Jerusalem Orchestra and with Berry Sakharof in the Ahavat Olamim and Maqam Jerusalem programs. The Ensemble is currently completing recordings for their debut album, Four Letters/Arba’ Otiot.

"The Piyut Ensemble" by The Ben-Zvi Institute