Zyryab Quartet at Oceanário de Lisboa

In the coming evenings, until January 1st, the Zyryab Quartet will be in the Atrium of the Oceanário de Lisboa, with sessions of Christmas musics.

Formed in September 1999, by students of the Linda-a-Velha Music School, the quartet assumes a close link between its instrument and popular music and worked on themes of popular Latin inspiration, from South American and Iberian origin, as well as works of classical music. Currently the quartet is dedicated mainly to the interpretation of Portuguese repertoire, trying to adapt the national repertoire for this type of formation through not only transcriptions but also with the cooperation of composers.

"ZYRYAB" is the name of the man who is considered the inventor of guitar. Born in Baghdad at the end of the seventh century, Zyryab emigrated to the prosperous Andalusia, having been part of the court of Emir Abderran II, in Cordoba, where he died. In this city, the supreme symbol of Andalusian civilization, Zyryab founded a music school and by adding a fifth string to the arabic lute he "invented" the guitar.