Port Said-based folk troupe El-Tanbura will perform traditional regional songs and dances in a concert they entitled "The Big Concert" at the Cairo Opera House Open Air Theatre on Thursday, 26 September.

 

"El Tanbura, that used to host one of the folk bands to present a short show before the main show, this time will host Amwag band, the first simsimiya girls' band in Egypt," the troupe stated on social media, urging their fans to attend.

 

Founded by Zakaria Ibrahim in 1989 in Port Said, El-Tanbura has worked to revive folkloric songs played on the simsimia, a stringed instrument.

 

The troupe now includes 20 members, including musicians and singers as well as ‎philosophers, fishermen, builders, plumbers and vendors, ranging in ‎age from 25 to 84 years old.

 

The award-winning band, who have performed all over the world, from Canada to Europe, to Australia and Africa, have released two albums, Between the Desert and the Sea and Friends of Bambouti, in partnership with English production company 30IPS and El-Mastaba Centre for Egyptian Folk Music.

 

As well as the simsimia, the group features the ‎tanbura (a long-necked string instrument), the nay (a kind of flute), the kawala (a kind of flute), the tabla (a drum), the triangle, the sagat (small cymbals), the shakhalil (castanets) ‎and the riq (a kind of tambourine).