Yousef founded Tarab in 2019 and has been leading the ensemble ever since. A multi-talented Palestinian-Australian, Yousef is an award-winning musician, intellectual, and advocate.
His musical journey began at 16 in Saudi Arabia, when he started to learn organ. After moving to Australia in 2003, he co-founded Jafra Band, performing “Arabic music with western instruments,” and through this musical endeavour supported several Australian charities.
Despite a mobility disability, Yousef has excelled as a renowned academic, translator, writer, podcast producer, political analyst and refugee advocate. Since 2013 Yousef has been directing Averroes Centre of Arab Culture, an organisation he established to.promote knowledge about Arab culture in Australia. He also founded ASPIRE, a not-for-profit which has helped resettle over 250 Palestinians to Australia and provides ongoing support to stateless Palestinians.
Yousef’s contributions to promoting Arab culture and advocating for marginalised groups have earned him multiple accolades, including the Eureka Australia Medal (2017) and Palestinian of the Year (2021).

Krikor is a co-founder of Tarab ensemble, bringing the spirit of Armenian music to the ensemble. Arriving in Australia in 2016 as a refugee from Syria, he quickly became one of Australia’s leading Arab saxophone players.
He started his music career in 1974 in Damascus and played with Zanoubia Symphony Orchestra and several other prestigious ensembles and orchestras in Syria and Lebanon. He has also been involved in music production for numerous TV drama and educational productions in Syria, Lebanon, and Kuwait.

Sarah is a seasoned vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (from Castlemaine) who has been with Tarab since its inception. She has wide ranging experience across many styles, ranging from leading jazz combos throughout Australia and Japan, performing at festivals with original contemporary projects, playing music for circus, theatre and film and a number of world music ensembles.

After emerging onto the music improvisation scene in the 2000s with his ensemble Stir (Andrea Keller/Alain Valodze; Melbourne Jazz Co-op, SIMA), Michael left for France and studied with double bass virtuoso Francois Rabbath, and has developed a fluid and lyrical improvisation style. He has played with many improvising and folk musicians, including Peggy Van Zalm. He currently co-leads the ensemble Engla which explores the interplay between the expressive forces of music and image. He experiments with alternative tunings to enhance the range of expression of the double bass and has worked with bass luthiers Ben Puglisi and Matthew Tucker to develop a 5-string double bass (added high C) in 2018. Michael has employed music in his work as a psychoanalyst with aggressive children and adolescents. He has won several awards (including an Outstanding Achievement in Research Award from the University of Newcastle).
He has also written two books published through Melbourne University Press and published several articles on the influence of the unconscious in the appreciation of fine art.

Michael joined Tarab in May 2022.

Khajak is a Syrian-Armenian guitarist and guitar maker. Born and raised in the rich cultural tapestry of Syria, Khajak embarked on a musical journey that would soon transcend borders. From his musical beginnings delving into the diverse and evocative world of Armenian musical traditions, Khajak is not just a musician; he is a sonic storyteller and a cultural ambassador who weaves together the threads of their Syrian-Armenian heritage with influences gathered from around the globe.

In 2018, Khajak took their artistry to a new level by venturing into the world of luthiery. Fuelled by a passion for both the craft and the sound, he started crafting electric guitars from scratch. Each guitar is not just an instrument but a manifestation of Khajak’s dedication to the symbiosis of form and function. ​Through guitars, bouzoukis, and a relentless passion for crafting sound, Khajak invites you to join them on a journey where borders blur, and music becomes a universal language.

In late 2022, Khajak embraced a new chapter in their musical journey by joining the Tarab Ensemble. Known for its commitment to preserving and innovating Middle Eastern music, Tarab became a natural home for Khajak’s diverse musical background.

Of Iraqi heritage, Bassam brings a profound depth to the Tarab Ensemble, enriching our music with the intricate scales and melodies of Iraq and the wider Arab world. In addition to his exceptional talent on the oud, Bassam is an acclaimed visual artist specialising in painting, with his work featured in numerous art galleries.

Chiharu moved to Australia in 2023 from Japan but her passion for Arabic music and Nay was born in her home country. In 2021, she started taking Nay lessons with one of the best Nay players in the world, and performed several shows in Japan.
Besides music, Chiharu loves languages and holds a bachelor degree in Spanish and Latin American culture.

Multi-percussionist, and guitarist from Syria. Her career in engineering did not stop her from exploring her passion and talent in music. Basma migrated to Australia from Syria in 2022 and managed to build an impressive profile in music with Tarab Ensemble, and Watar Band, alongside engineering.

Ghazaleh is a dedicated Sama dancer from Iran. She has performed extensively while deepening her connection to this spiritual art form.
“Through Sama, I experience the profound expansion from inner self to universal connection, embodying the sacred Sufi tradition with each meditative movement.”

Ghazaleh joined Tarab Ensemble in May 2025.

Eman Hussein is an Egyptian singer. She graduated from the faculty of music education and performs both Arabic and western music, as well as teaching piano and singing.
Eman has performed concerts in Egypt and Melbourne, and she is also active on TikTok, instagram, and Facebook, where she shares her singing content. Eman joined Tarab ensemble in August 2025.

Farah is a spoken word poet, writer, and performer of Lebanese heritage, interested in exploring stories of identity and belonging in an age of constant movement. She has regularly featured at major events including the Melbourne Writers Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Melbourne Spoken Word and Poetry Festival, and Emerge Festival.

As part of the Tarab Ensemble, Farah weaves the night together — connecting songs through poetry that speaks to each piece, drawing on both her own words and those of poets whose work resonates with the music. A proud custodian of the Arab world’s artistic culture, she sees oral storytelling as a way to reclaim and preserve the region’s cultural infrastructure, at a time when so many of its physical monuments are being destroyed by the fangs of war.