Layth Sidiq is a Grammy-nominated violinist, composer, and educator, serving as artistic director of the New York Arabic Orchestra and director of the Center for Arabic Culture’s Youth Orchestra Program. He has performed globally with artists such as Simon Shaheen, Danilo Perez, and Tigran Hamasyan, in venues like Carnegie Hall and the Montreal Jazz Festival. His debut album, “Son of Tigris,” premiered at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2016. Layth is the lead vocalist and violinist for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game ‘Mirage.’
Born in Jordan with Iraqi roots, Layth began his musical training at Amman’s National Music Conservatory and had his first solo performance at eleven. He studied at Chethams School of Music and graduated from Berklee College of Music with a bachelor’s in performance and a master’s from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. In 2018, Layth won a prize at the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition after becoming the first and only Arab to participate.
In 2019, he released the EP ‘Hamsa’ with Carnatic vocalist Rohith Jayaraman, blending Arabic and Carnatic music. Layth won the 2020 Boston Music Award for ‘Best International Artist’ and was nominated for the 2021 New England Music Awards for ‘Best World Act.’ His 2022 album, ‘Steps,’ is a collaboration with Greek laoutist Vasilis Kostas. Layth is also a member of Danilo Perez’s Global Messengers, whose album ‘Crisalida’ was nominated for two Grammy awards.
A strong advocate for music education, Layth collaborates with the Kayany Foundation in Lebanon, providing workshops and masterclasses to Syrian refugee students.
Website: https://www.laythsidiqmusic.com/
Vasilis Kostas is a Grammy nominated laouto player, composer and educator from Epirus, Greece as well as the artistic director of the New England Greek Orchestra. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Danilo Perez, Petroloukas Halkias and Sokratis Sinopoulos while performing in prestigious concert halls and festivals such as Carnegie Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival and Panama Jazz Festival.
The Boston Globe and the WBUR have described him as “a great traditional music master of the laouto, who redefines its sound”. Vasilis Kostas has been awarded with the “Forty Under 40” Award by the Greek America Foundation and the “Artist Fellowship in the Traditional Arts” Award by the Mass Cultural Council for his efforts to advance the role of the laouto in the contemporary music scene and present his musical roots in academic institutions and concert halls across the U.S. and internationally.
Website: https://college.berklee.edu/people/vasileios-kostas