Strings quartet No. 3 (Nabd) (2025)
For string quartet – ca. 10
Comissioned by VIPA Festival 2025, five-movement work that delves into the rich tradition of funerary laments sung by Druze women in Mount Lebanon. This piece is a deeply personal elegy, written in memory of my father, “Abou Samra”, who passed away earlier this year.

The premiere was a part of VIPA 2025 International Music Festival in Valencia (@vipavalencia), Spain on July 15, @ Conservatorio Superior de Música Joaquín Rodrigo 19:00h, by the incredible MIVOS Quartet (@mivosquartetfour)

“Nadb” for string quartet is a five-movement work that delves into the rich tradition of funerary laments sung by Druze women in Mount
Lebanon. This piece is a deeply personal elegy, written in memory of my father, “Abou Samra”, who passed away earlier this year. The musical foundation of “Nadb” stems directly from my own field recordings of these powerful vocalizations. The Druze nadb is more
than a song; it’s a vital expression of grief, remembrance, and community solidarity. Through these recordings, I aimed to capture
the raw emotion, unique melodic contours, and subtle rhythmic nuances that define this ancient practice. Each movement of “Nadb” explores different facets of this tradition, translating the expressive qualities of the human voice into the distinct sonorities of the string quartet. You’ll hear reflections of collective wailing, individual cries of sorrow, and the underlying sense of shared loss and resilience.

The quartet, with its intimate and resonant voicing, strives to convey the profound depth of feeling inherent in these laments, honoring both the cultural significance of the nadb and the personal weight of my own grief. This piece is a tribute to a cherished tradition, to the enduring power of music in times of sorrow, and, most importantly, to the memory of my father.

Musicians

Olivia De Prato – violin

William Overcash – violins

Victor Lowrie Tafoya – viola

Nathan Watts – cello