Brainteaser ft. Nawras Altaky – 2023
For this special project, the Brainteaser Orchestra was given carte blanche by November Music to create a brand-new work. The composition draws inspiration from two virtuosic string players: South African guitarist Vuma Levin, a former member of Brainteaser Orchestra, and Syrian oud player Nawras Altaky.
Wybenga’s layered new work aims to create a challenging and hybrid musical form that fuses Dutch jazz with Syrian maqam and South African “gourd-bow” sounds. Both Nawras Altaky and Vuma Levin joined the orchestra for this performance, adding their unique talents to the ensemble and sparking new sonic worlds for the Brainteaser Orchestra to explore.