Kamilya Jubran

Musician, composer and one of the most revered figures for today’s younger generation of experimental and alternative Arabic music scenes, Kamilya Jubran grew up in Al Rameh — a Palestinian village situated in Galilée. Raised by her music loving parents, she was introduced and initiated to classical Arabic music, and particularly by her father Elias Jubran – a music teacher and instrument maker.

At the age of 18 Kamilya made her move to Jerusalem, where she studied at the Hebrew university, and simultaneously explored her new musical pathway by joining Sabreen a collective based in East Jerusalem that wove Arabic folklore with jazz, rock and other contemporary styles. With the group she recorded four albums and toured in many local as well as international towns and cities. The very rich and intensive 2 decades of constant work with the group urged Kamilya to deepen her music research and consequently to shape and reshape her musical identity.

Since 2002 Kamilya lives in Europe, where she started her early experimentations with her first “solo” show Mahattaat in Bern Switzerland; joined by Werner Hasler trumpet and electronics, Sarah Murcia double bass, and Michael Spahr visual artist. A one-year-tour with this project was a jumping board towards her next projects she realized with her two main companions in her research: Werner Hasler and Sarah Murcia. In 2003 she moved to Paris, where she works and lives nowadays. She is also involved in multi-disciplinary performances of music dance and theatre, and is Artistic Director of Zamkana, which supports and accompanies original innovative artistic projects, respecting the values of freedom of expression and secularism.

In late 2024 Kamilya’s solo album Makan 2009, will be re-issued on Stephen O’Malley’s Ideologic Organ.